


Transitions

by awakethepassion



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-03
Updated: 2013-07-14
Packaged: 2017-12-17 13:46:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 31,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/868235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awakethepassion/pseuds/awakethepassion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If dealing with the IOA is not enough John Sheppard has more to handle when his wife and friends are thought lost on a snow bound planet. He goes searching for them and finds not only new friends but an old enemy. An old enemy that wants him dead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All characters of StarGate and StarGate Atlantis belong to their respective writers and MGM. This is a work of fan fiction. I just want to play with them for awhile.

Copyright 2009 awakethepassion

Transitions

Chapter 1

1.

John hated protocol and he wondered for the hundredth time how in the hell he'd gotten himself talked into this. He pushed his hands into his pockets as he walked along the corridor back to their quarters. He'd wanted Susan to go with him when he went to talk to Elizabeth but she'd gotten back from the mainland late and now she was rushing around, trying to shower and dress before he got back.

He would have been satisfied to just spend a quiet night with her...he shook his head and his lips curved into a wicked smile. Okay...maybe not so quiet since he intended to have her screaming with pleasure before the night was over with. But damn it, he could have done without this.

He didn't feel like schmoozing with some bone head diplomat from the IOA. Those bastards had a bad habit of sticking their noses in where they didn't belong. He scowled slightly, thinking of when Elizabeth had called him into her office to tell him that some jerk was coming to 'visit' Atlantis.

"Visit." He snorted angrily.

Yeah...another word for butting in where they weren't wanted or needed. They still had the business with her brother still hanging over their heads and now this. Susan refused to talk to her brother and threw away his letters every time he wrote. She would have killed him but John had secretly saved them all...just in case.

There was something going on between them. Some dark secret that he hadn't gotten out of her yet. Hell, they hadn't even talked about the 'Trey' business either. But John couldn't blame her. He had his own secrets that he kept hidden.

He shook his head thinking that sometimes he felt like their lives were turning into a god damn soap opera. If it wasn't one damned thing happening, it was something else. And now he'd let Elizabeth rope him into going to this fucking 'getting to know you' party. Hell, he didn't want to know some jerk ass bastard from the IOA. He hadn't seen Susan all day and right now all he wanted was to get laid.

Completely lost in thought, he barely noticed the admiring glances he got as he stopped in front of their door and passed his hand over the control.

"Susan!" He shouted. She didn't answer. He was in a black mood and his anger tasted bitter in his mouth but his temper cooled a little when he pushed open the door to their bedroom just in time to catch her primping in front of the mirror. His dick hardened at the sight of her and now he was feeling a different kind of heat.

He stood in the doorway of their bedroom and watched her as she brushed out her dark curls. Almost six months married and John still couldn't believe it. He looked at the ring on his left hand again and a slight smile crossed his face. He'd only been in one other relationship that had lasted longer. He'd fucked that one up. He damn sure wouldn't fuck up this one.

Hearing her put the brush back down on the dresser, he looked up and caught her watching his reflection in the mirror.

"Why the serious look, Colonel?"

"I was calling for you." Slowly, he moved up behind her and she turned to slide into his arms.

"Here I am." Her eyes brightened when she looked at him, she leaned in and nibbled at his neck."

"Yeah." He hugged her tighter. "Here you are."

"Don't you just look delicious?" Susan licked her lips. She rubbed her hands down his arms and slipped her arms around his waist. "Hmm...you smell good too." Lightly, she patted him on the ass, squeezing him. "Maybe I should bring a baseball bat with me tonight. The way you look I'm going to have to fight all those women off of you."

"Shit." He kissed her and then grumbled and tugged at the collar of his uniform white dress shirt. "I hate this god damn monkey suit. Why do we have to go to this damn thing anyway?"

"Because it's important to Elizabeth and you promised her that you would." She let him go and turned back to the mirror to check her hair and makeup. "And I'll be damned if I let you weasel out of it now."

"Oh, come on." He rested his hands on her hips. "I know something that will be a lot more fun than that stuffy party." He rubbed against her and she grabbed his wrists and pushed him back.

"Mess up the dress and I will kill you."

"You do look good." He twirled her around, admiring the way the soft velvet of the dark red material clung to her curves and showed off her ample assets. She'd let her hair grow longer and it fell in a cascade of dark curls down her back. He ran his fingers through it and from the sudden pressure in his balls, his cock remembered how she'd looked the night before, the dark sun kissed strands clinging to her sweaty skin while she'd rocked the both of them into exhaustion. "Come on, baby. Let's ditch this damn party and do something nasty."

Laughing, she stepped around him and reached for the matching leather high heel shoes sitting on the bed. "You paid a lot for this dress so don't ruin it."

"I'm not sure I want you wearing this thing." He tugged on the hem of the dress. "Its a little too flirty." He slid his hand over her shoulder. "And I'm not sure I like these spaghetti straps. It looks like you're wearing lingerie." He rubbed his palm over her breast. "These pretties are mine. I don't want some drunk ass politician drooling over my sexy wife."

"This dress is not flirty." She slipped the shoes on and smoothed the dress down over her hips. She had to admit it was a more than a little flirty and sexy but she wasn't going to tell him that. "And besides," She straightened his collar and smoothed down his tie. "That's not what you said when you bought it for me."

"I didn't know you'd look so damn fuckable in it." He smirked and looked down at her shoes. "Aren't those the-"

"Nasty boy." She smacked him on the rear. "And to think I let you kiss me with that mouth. And no. These are new but they're just like the others."

"I'll kiss more than your mouth if you'll let me peek under that dress." He gave her a mock scowl. "How much of my money are you spending?"

"As much as I can." She laughed.

"Then I own this and what's underneath it."

She smacked at his hands. "Cool it, Fly Boy. You need to save your strength for later."

He growled and pulled on her curls. "Come on, Suzie Q. I'm tired of waiting. I want to go down on you. Now."

"Filth." She smirked back at him but he could see the lust firing up in her eyes.

"I know that you want to get dirty with me." He ran his lips over her neck, her chest. "Come on, baby..." He whispered huskily and ground against her, pulling her close so that she could feel his erection against her mound. "Let's do some bad things."

"John, stop it." She pushed at him but not very hard. "We are going to go to this party. I am not about to let a nice pair like these go to waste."

"I don't want this nice pair to go to waste either." He stroked his thumbs over her nipples and heard her sharp gasp as they hardened under his thumbs. One hand on her breast, he slid his other hand over her thigh, edging his fingers under the dress until he could feel her heat. "Mmm...did somebody come already? Because I think I feel something wet right here."

"Stop it." She grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand out from under the dress before he got any higher than her upper thigh. Her eyes were dark and he could smell her hunger. "Be a good boy and I'll wear the shoes when we're in bed tonight."

"Kinky." John reached for her again. Sliding his arm around her waist, he pulled her against him. "I'll just have to make sure that you don't try to pretend that they're a pair of spurs."

"Why not?" She grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You could play with that riding crop you've been dying to try out."

"Oh, yeah." He ran his hands over her backside, the dress was soft under his hands and he started to slide it up, inching the material farther and farther up her long legs. "What do you say, Suzie Q? We could  stay here and go for a ride I don't think that they'll miss us much."

"Tempting but no." She kissed him lightly on the mouth and stepped back. "And General O'Neill would miss you."

John snorted. "He probably wants to be at this thing about as much as I do."

"I'm sure that he does. Which is exactly why we're going. If we don't show he'll come looking for us."

"We could always go to our secret place." He nibbled on her neck. "He'd never find us there."

"John-" She was melting under his hands and she knew if she didn't stop him soon, she was going to be the one dragging him down on the bed. "Come on, stop it."

He leaned into her. "I can make you come. God, I'd love to make you come right now."

The scent of her perfume was driving him crazy and he felt the urge to push her back across the bed and bury his head between her thighs.

"John..."

"I wonder if you taste as good as you smell. Maybe I can get in a good lick or two before we have to leave."

"Stop being so naughty, Sheppard."

"I can be worse." He loved torturing her, loved the way her eyes lit up and her skin warmed under his touch.

"I know you can." She whispered devilishly. "But I'll tell you what. If you're a good boy, go to this party and play nice for Elizabeth..." She kissed him, tugging his wet bottom lip into her mouth and sucking on him before she let him go. "I promise you that I will definitely make sure you get a sweet reward later on."

"How sweet?" He nuzzled her hair, sliding his tongue over the curve of her ear.

"Be a good boy and you'll find out." She laughed against his neck. It felt good just to stand there in his arms and feel the heat of him pressing against her. With the heels on, she was on the level with him and she could look directly into his beautiful green eyes. "Did I ever tell you how much I love a man in uniform?"

"I'll bet that you'd love me even more if I was out of uniform." He ground against her even harder, digging his fingers into her hips.

"You would definitely win that bet." She kissed him and brushed her hands through his unruly hair. "Maybe later you can do a strip tease for me." She smoothed her fingers over his tie and straightened his collar again.

"I'd stop doing that if I were you, Doctor Sheppard." John nipped at her neck. "I just put this monkey suit on. It wouldn't look good if we're late because I busted the zipper on these damn pants."

"If you're a really good boy I'll rip it open for you." She whispered a kiss across his mouth and then took his hand and tugged him toward the door.

2.

"Crap." John growled against her ear as they headed for the South pier.

"What's wrong with you now?" She leaned against his side, sliding her palm into his as they headed toward the lights and the tables laid out for their visiting guest. Her stomach rumbled a little at the smell of the cooking food. She hadn't eaten anything since lunch and the rich meaty smell was starting to make her mouth water.

"Over there." He nodded his head slightly. "With O'Neill." His lips curled angrily at the sight of the man standing there talking with the General and Elizabeth.

"Who's he?"

"Don't know." John shrugged slightly. "But I can smell smarmy bastard a mile away. Must be the prick from the IOA."

Susan sighed and shook her head. "You don't even know the guy. He might even be nice."

"Yeah," John sneered. "And I'm a choir boy."

"Let me grab your nuts and see how high you can sing." She pressed her head against his shoulder and laughed.

"Real funny." John's lips quirked slightly and he curled his fingers around hers. "Keep talking like that and I'm gonna drag you behind one of these towers and have my way with you."

She was about to say something to him when she saw something move out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head, she saw O'Neill headed their way.

"Colonel Sheppard." He stopped and gave her a smile and a slight nod of the head. "Mrs...Doctor...what the hell do I call you anyway?"

"Susan is fine, General." Susan smiled.

O'Neill grinned. He eyed her and gave a low wolf whistle. "Damn, John. If I'd known she looked this good I'd have snatched this little pretty away from you."

When he turned his head and motioned to the man he'd been talking to, Susan leaned close and pressed her lips against Sheppard's ear. "I wonder if he knows that I'm not wearing any underwear?"

John's eyes flashed angrily and he tightened his grip on her hip. "I thought you were going to wear that matching thong?"

"Your rule." She whispered. "No underwear. Remember?"

"I remember telling you to wear the thong for this." He growled back at her. He squeezed her fingers and gave her a sly look. "Why do I get the feeling that you 'forgot' on purpose?"

"Would I do that?" She laughed softly and rubbed her hand over his arm.

"Yes." He smiled. "Now I know why you wouldn't let me under your dress."

"You are smart." She settled against his side and pressed her hand against his chest, looking up at him coyly. "Think about it, John. I'm completely naked under this dress. Every time I'm dancing with another man there won't be a thing between us but this little bit of material and thin air."

"Then you just won't dance." John hissed at her. "Unless its with me."

"If that's what you want." She smirked. "I'll just be a good little girl and sit at one of the tables while you go and kiss a little ass."

"I don't kiss ass, sweetheart." He scowled and then gave her a sharp pinch high up on the back of her thigh. "Unless its yours."

She jumped and smacked her hand against his chest. Laughing, she rubbed her hip against his and pointed to a table near the end of the pier. "The light's kind of bright over there. Want to bet me that I can perk up this party every time I cross my legs?"

"Did I hear someone say something about perking up this party?"

Susan turned her head and saw that Jack O'Neill had moved closer and was watching them intently. He was smiling slightly and she knew from the look in his eyes that he'd seen the way that they teased each other.

"Just my wife, General." John gave her a little squeeze and a dark look. "Trying to be cute."

"Well, I think she did it." O'Neill smirked slightly. He raised an eyebrow and gave her an approving look. "Nice dress, Susan. I'd give you a wolf whistle but your husband here might smack me."

"If he tries, I'll just smack him back." Susan gave John a wicked look and stepped away from him. Slipping her hand over O'Neill's arm, she tugged him toward the dance floor. "John's not much of a dancer. Would you like to do the honors, General?"

"Who am I to deny a beautiful lady?" O'Neill just shrugged, gave John a slight grin and followed her out onto the make shift dance floor where several other couples were already swaying to the soft music.

Damn her. John rubbed his fingers together, seething when O'Neill rested his hand on her waist. He could still see air between them but just knowing that she wasn't wearing anything but that scrap of material and those shoes...shit! His dick was so hard now that it was almost painful. His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched his wife dance with another man. When he got her alone-

"Excuse me. You're Colonel Sheppard?"

John's head whipped around, an angry retort on his lips but then he forced himself to smile when he saw the man standing beside him. Instinctively, he stood up straighter and held out his hand. He tried not to grin at the cool touch of the other man's hand as they shook. Even after he'd run her ragged and screwed her until she was as limp as a dish rag, Susan's hands didn't feel that damn weak. He knew that he was right...this was the jerk from the IOA.

"Richard Woolsey."

"Nice to meet you. Welcome to Atlantis." John hated making small talk and right now the last thing he wanted to do was talk to this guy. The man was as least a foot shorter than him and he looked like a weasel. He sighed and shifted uncomfortably, hoping that the bulge in his pants wasn't visible. He slipped his hand into his pocket and then took it out again.

It wouldn't look good if he was standing there staring at Susan and fingering his dick. He was wishing now that he'd taken the damn cock ring off. At least then he wouldn't be feeling like his balls were about to explode.

"The lady in red. I take it that's your wife dancing with the General?" Woolsey asked conversationally.

"Yes." John tried not to glower.

"Congratulations." Woolsey smiled slightly. "She's very beautiful."

"She cleans up pretty good." John didn't have any trouble smiling at that. He wasn't ashamed to admit that he liked it when other men noticed her. Looking was okay. It was the touching that he still had trouble with and it didn't matter that he knew in his heart and soul that she would never even think about being with another man. He just didn't like it.

"Would you mind very much if I spoke with her later? Doctor Beckett has spoken quite highly of her and her interest in the local plants and herbs." Woolsey was still talking and then he stopped and took a sip of his drink. He tried to hide it but John caught the spark of attraction in his eyes when he looked across the dance floor.

John stiffened and then relaxed his stance a little bit and looked down at Woolsey. If this little weasel even thought he had half a chance with Susan...shit. He smirked at the look on the older man's face. Her tricks would probably kill him.

"General O'Neill tells me that the two of you just recently wed." Woolsey was talking to him but still looking at her.

"Six months." John resisted the urge to jerk the drink out of the man's hand and pour it over his shiny little head. "I finally decided to make an honest woman out of her."

"Oh, still the newlyweds." Woolsey looked disappointed. "Then I doubt she would be willing to return to Earth for awhile."

"Yes, she would." John's lips thinned into a scowl. They'd have to pry her out from under his cold dead body before he'd let her go anywhere with this little bastard. "Sorry to disappoint you...Dick."

Woolsey's eyes narrowed slightly and then he smiled coldly. "I understand, Colonel. But it is a shame."

"And why is that?" John tried to keep his temper but it was hard.

"I've read some of her reports on the work she's been doing on the mainland and some of the other planets in this galaxy. I find them quite impressive. She seems to have natural, let's say, endowments. A woman with her talents-" He gave John a scathing look and then he smiled tightly. "I'd just hate to see a gift like hers be lost here in Atlantis when she would have so much more of an opportunity back on Earth."

"She's got plenty of opportunity right here. She's got her own work and she'll also be working with Carson." John said. _Yeah, you little bastard_...John thought to himself. _I know exactly what endowments you're looking at too_.

"And with you, I suppose." Woolsey smiled slyly.

"Especially with me. I know exactly how to keep her occupied." John gave him a snide look.

"I've heard." Woolsey gave him a cold look. "Some of the Atlantis personnel are quite...talkative."

John's lips thinned into an angry line. "I don't see how our personal life is any of your...or anyone else's god-"

"John."

He stopped when he felt a light touch on his arm and he looked down. Susan was standing beside him. She was giving him a curious look and he couldn't help sliding a possessive arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. "Excuse me, Mr Woolsey..." He nodded to O'Neill. "General...I'd like to have a moment with my wife."

Before the two men could say anything, John had twirled her around and moved her in front of him. Lightly touching the small of her back, he gave her a push toward the smaller tables near the shadows of the tower. When they were far enough away, she turned around and pressed her hand against his chest.

"Okay, big boy. What's got your dick in a twist?"

"I knew coming to this damn party was a mistake." He jerked out a chair and sat down, reaching out he pulled her down into the one next to him. "Let's just say hello to Elizabeth, eat and get the hell out of here."

"Not until you tell me what the hell is wrong." She rested her hand on his thigh.

"I don't-"

"No." She squeezed his leg. "Don't start." She looked up and saw Woolsey watching them intently and she frowned. Making sure that he was watching, she stood up and moved so that she could sit in John's lap.

"What the hell are you doing?" John gave her a look and then wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Playing the newlywed." She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him thoroughly, sliding her tongue into his mouth and tasting him. When she let him go she looked up and saw that Woolsey had walked away.

"God damn weasel." She muttered.

"Nothing gets by you, does it?" John laughed and kissed her neck. "He wants to meet you later."

She leaned back and looked down at him. "What? Why?"

"He thinks that you're beautiful."

Susan snorted with laughter. "Then he needs his glasses checked."

John squeezed her tighter. "Don't say that."

"Say what? Its the truth."

"It is not." John hated it when she talked down about herself. "You are beautiful. Maybe you can't see it but I can. And I don't want to ever hear you talk about yourself like that again."

"Or what?"

"Or you'll get a spanking that you won't forget."

"Aww..." Her eyes glowed and she kissed him sweetly. "I love you too."

"I mean it."

"You mean that you just want to get into my panties." She joked but he saw the look in her eyes. Her arms tightened around his neck.

"You're not wearing panties." His arms rested comfortably around her waist and she leaned into him, crossing her long legs and wiggling enough on his lap to make him hiss. "You're not acting very professional, Doctor Sheppard."

"It's your fault." She whispered against his mouth. "You've turned me into a bad... _bad_ girl. If you want...you can spank me later."

John was trying to keep his cool but the way she was sliding on his thighs had him edging his fingers under the hem of her dress. He wanted to touch her so badly, wanted to feel her slick, wet heat on his fingers...

"There they are."

"Shit!" John grumbled and jerked his hand off her thigh when a rough voice growled behind them.

"Hi, guys." Susan looked up to see Ronan and Teyla coming up behind them. "You two look great!"

"Thank you." Teyla smiled, blushing a little.

She looked wonderful. She was wearing a long, flowing forest green dress and her hair was up. Soft tendrils framed her beautiful face and John gave a low whistle when she sat down at the table with them.

John whistled. "Damn, Teyla...if I wasn't already married-"

"Sheppard..." Susan growled and lightly slapped him on the back of the head.

He started to tip her off his lap and then he remembered that she wasn't wearing anything under that dress. "I'll get you later for that." He whispered against her throat.

"Not if I get you first." She nipped at his mouth and then looked up at Ronan. "Wow, Chewie. You clean up good."

John wasn't sure but he could have sworn that Ronan blushed a little too. He smiled slightly. Keeping one arm around his neck, Susan leaned over and lightly touched Ronan on the arm.

"We still on for tomorrow?"

"What's tomorrow?" John asked suspiciously.

"Ronan and Teyla are going to teach me some fighting moves." Susan turned back to him and lightly touched the back of his neck, teasing her fingers into the collar of his jacket. "I told you about it, remember?"

"When?" He growled.

"Last night." Susan purred and pressed her lips against his ear. "You were a little preoccupied at the time."

"Oh." John rested his hand on her hip. "I'm coming along to watch."

"Oh, no you won't." Susan told him.

"I'm your husband. If anyone is going to teach you some fighting moves it should be me."

"No. I want Ronan and Teyla to teach me."

"I'm not good enough for you?"

"You're more than good enough." Susan rolled her eyes at him. "But you'll just want to get rough and you know what happens every time you do that-"

"You lose." He smirked.

"Smartass."

"I've got a pair of handcuffs with your name on them." He laughed and purred against her ear.

"Later, baby." She winked at him. Pushing his hand out of her lap, she got to her feet and slid back into the seat next to him. She kicked off her shoes and wriggled her toes. "I love these shoes but they kill my feet."

John rested his arm over the back of her chair and tickled his fingers up her spine. "Poor baby."

"Why don't the two of you be good boys and go and get us something to drink?" Susan nodded toward the buffet tables set out along the pier. "And bring back some food too. I don't know about Teyla but I'm starving."

"What am I?" John growled. "Your damn errand boy?"

"If you want dessert tonight...you will be."

Teyla heard her and started to laugh. She looked around for Ronan but he was already up and moving toward the tables. Susan gave John a push. "You'd better hurry up before Ronan eats it all."

"Get it your-"

"Maybe I'd better." Susan didn't wait for him to finish. She gave Teyla a wink and patted him on the shoulder. "I think that I need to move. My legs are getting an awful cramp-"

John looked down when she uncrossed her long legs, knowing exactly what she was going to do. "Sit down." He growled, pushed her back in the seat then got to his feet and followed Ronan toward the tables.

"Ah, John. Could I talk to you for a moment."

John stopped and turned his head when Elizabeth spoke to him and lightly touched his arm. She looked beautiful, her hair was up and she was dressed in soft green, the dress long and flowing. With her delicate features she looked like an Elvin princess and her eyes were softly glowing in the light from the lanterns.

She looked happy but John knew her well enough to know that that wasn't true. Something dark shadowed her eyes and John immediately went on edge. Something was wrong. He could practically smell it.

He sighed and turned to follow her. He looked up and caught Susan's eye. She gave him a suspicious look but he just shrugged and shook his head, motioning for her to stay where she was. Elizabeth saw the look and then she sighed and turned toward the tables where Susan and Teyla sat.

"Ronan." She called softly and the big man turned to look at her. "Can I talk to you too?"

Ronan's eyes narrowed slightly but he set down his plate and walked back toward them. "What's up?"

Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder. John watched her and a chill ran down his back when he saw Woolsey watching them. Suddenly he got the feeling that he knew what she was going to say and he didn't like it one damned bit. His eyes narrowed and he scowled.

What ever she had to tell them he knew that there was about to be a big change in Atlantis.

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

 

Disclaimer: All characters of StarGate and StarGate Atlantis belong to their respective writers and MGM. This is a work of fan fiction. I just want to play with them for awhile.

 

Copyright 2009 awakethepassion

 

Transitions

 

Chapter 2

 

1.

 

If it weren't for Richard Woolsey, Susan Sheppard would have thought that her life in Atlantis was perfect. She had the hottest man in the city in her bed, a job she loved and good friends...well, except for Rodney McKay, but she didn't let him bother her anymore.

 

And now she was getting the chance to go off world and really put some of her knowledge to work. She had been surprised when Teyla and Carson had approached her about working with a people that the Athosians traded with called the Kinani. Jaiya had told him that she knew something about growing things and now they wanted to talk to her.

 

It wasn't often that she got to go off world but the opportunity had been too good to pass up and no matter how much John didn't like it, she was going.

 

She was anxious to find out how they managed to grow their crops, when they lived in an underground cave system on a planet that was a winter world for most of the year. Teyla had given her some information and the rest she'd looked up in the Ancients database and what she'd found there had intrigued the little herb witch in her.

 

"Morning, Susan."

 

She looked up at the touch of a hand on her shoulder and grinned. "Morning, Carson. Sit down."

 

Carson glanced at the lanky man at the buffet table. "I don't want to intrude-"

 

"You're not." She motioned at the seat across from her and pushed it back with her foot. "I was hoping to talk to you this morning anyway."

 

"About what?" Carson sat down and leaned his elbows on the table.

 

"Well...actually I wanted to thank you." Susan took a sip of her tea and brushed her hair back from her face. "For letting me tag along, I mean."

 

"Why would you want to thank me for that?" Carson smiled. "The Kinani requested you after your friend Jaiya explained your work with the Athosians. Its her you should be thanking. She and Teyla-"

 

"Bullshit..." A deep voice growled before he could finish. "She should be thanking me for even letting her go."

 

Susan punched her husband in the arm as he sat down in the chair next to her. "I don't remember asking for your permission, dear."

 

"Word of warning, Carson." John scowled as he pushed a bowl of strawberries toward her. "Don't ever get married. They get pushy and hard headed after they get the ring."

 

"So do some husbands."

 

"No strawberries for you then."

 

"Too late." Susan snatched a handful of strawberries out of the bowl before John could grab it back. "And you knew that I was pushy and hard headed before I let you marry me."

 

John grumped. "They can turn into a real big pain in the ass too."

 

"How would you know, sugar? You never let me try." Susan's laugh was low and sultry. Carson's face went red but he laughed.

 

"Okay, time for me to go."  He got up from the table. "Susan, if you'd like to join me later...we can go over a few things before we meet Lorne in the Jumper Bay. If you can tear yourself away from the Colonel."

 

Susan smiled at him and nodded. "I have a few things to pick up in my lab and then I'll meet you in the infirmary. Grumpy has a meeting with Mr. Woolsey so I should have a bit of time free if you want to go over that list of medicinal plants."

 

"Sounds like a plan." Carson grinned. He nodded to John. "Perhaps you'll be in a better mood then, Colonel."

 

"I doubt it." John and Susan said at the same time and Carson started to laugh.

 

When he was gone, John gave Susan a black look and she nudged him with her foot. "Stop letting it get to you."

 

"I'm not letting it get to me." He muttered and dug into his breakfast. He chewed and swallowed, not really tasting the food.

 

"Liar." She snatched a piece of bacon off his plate. "You've been a mean son of a bitch all week. I'm surprised your men haven't stuffed your head down a toilet yet."

 

"Like you've been any help." John scowled. "Locked up in your lab all the time and ignoring me or even worse playing warrior princess with Ronan and Teyla."

 

Susan rolled her eyes. "And there it is." She laughed and made a kissy face at him. "My big strong Colonel is just mad that I won't let him play hero."

 

He grabbed her hand and bit down on the back of her knuckles then he licked her palm and pressed her hand to the bit of skin showing at the open throat of his shirt. "Mine." He grinned.

 

"Mine." She grinned back and tugged at the tuft of chest hair. "Now, you'd better hurry up. You've got a meeting to get to and I need to get the lab." Leaning closer she gave him a quick kiss. "You don't want to get your sweetie Woolsey all pissed off this morning."

 

"Fuck Woolsey." He grimaced. God, but he hated that little asshole.

 

"Nope. No one is gonna get the Sheppard cock but me." She rubbed her hand over the front of his pants and gave him another kiss as she stood up. "Just don't try to kill him, okay?"

 

John's mood brightened just a little. He loved watching the swing of her hips. She had a perfect back field in motion and he watched her until she was gone, then he finished his breakfast and headed for the conference room and another morning of hell.

 

2.

 

Damn. He was starting to think that he wasn't going to survive this. John glanced around the table at his team mates. They all looked tired and wishing that they were anywhere but the conference room. Had it really been a week since that damn party?

 

He sighed and rubbed at his forehead. It seemed like a lifetime since Elizabeth had dropped the bomb that Richard Woolsey would be spending a few days in Atlantis, evaluating the expedition and its major members. That had been bad enough and he hadn't thought that things could get any worse but now he was being forced to listen to the little bastard when he could have been curled up in his bed enjoying an early morning fuck with his woman. But no, here he was trapped and horny as hell with no way to relieve the pressure.

 

He scowled, shooting daggers at the little man with his eyes. It was too damn early for this and John was getting a headache and not just a nagging little ache either. This one was turning into a head pounder and if Woolsey didn't shut up his god damn yammering soon, he was going to pick up his coffee cup and smash it upside the little pricks head.

 

He scowled and looked across the table. Elizabeth was looking at the little balding man and appeared to be paying attention but John could tell that she was wishing that he'd shut up too. He sighed and took another swallow of the brew in his cup. It tasted nasty and he set it down and pushed it away from him, obviously a little too hard because it went sliding across the smooth surface of the conference table.

 

Ronan caught it before it smashed to the floor and when John looked up, Woolsey was giving him a disapproving look. He glared back and the little man met his stare.

 

"Am I boring you, Colonel?" Woolsey asked coolly.

 

"Am I asleep yet?" John drawled and then rolled his eyes when Elizabeth shot him a look.

 

"What the Colonel meant I'm sure-"

 

"What I should have said, Mr. Woolsey is why did you request this little meeting so early in the morning?" John ignored Elizabeth when she glared at him for interrupting her.

 

"I think that I have already made my intentions fairly clear, Colonel." Woolsey smiled slightly and gave him a depreciating look.

 

"Really?" John sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. Damn right he knew what the little bastard's intentions were. He wanted to stick his IOA nose in where it didn't belong. "We've been sitting here listening to you for the last hour and I still don't see you getting any closer to a point."

 

"Perhaps if you had actually been listening to me, Colonel...you would have heard what I said."

 

"Sorry," John's eyes narrowed. "I tuned out after 'Thank you all for coming'."

 

"I see that you're also a comedian, Colonel." Woolsey smiled tightly and ruffled the papers in front of him before he looked up at him with a cold stare. "Where is Doctor Sheppard this morning?"

 

John scowled and looked at his watch. "Probably in her lab by now. Why?"

 

Woolsey sighed and his lips thinned even further. "As the head of her department, I expected her to be here for this meeting."

 

John heard a soft snort and his dark gaze swept around the table. Rodney met his stare and for once didn't back down. He might have apologized to Susan at the wedding but the relationship between them was still strained. They were never going to be great friends and Rodney still made it known that he didn't think that Susan belonged on the team. Susan, damn her, agreed with him. No matter how much he cajoled or threatened her, she wouldn't join them in any of the meetings unless Elizabeth asked her directly.

 

"I don't see Carson at this meeting either." John said flatly. He felt Teyla's foot nudge against his but he ignored her.

 

"Doctor Beckett is preparing for a mission to PC2-1071 this morning, of which you should be well aware." Woolsey rested his elbows on the table and stared at him. "The Kinani-"

 

John smiled slightly but it wasn't a friendly one. "I am, Mr. Woolsey and I know all about the Kinani."

 

"Then I don't need to-" Woolsey tapped his finger on the file.

 

"I got your memo, Mr. Woolsey." John cut him off and Woolsey's eyes widened at the snide tone in Sheppard's voice. "Perhaps if you had taken the time to speak with Doctor Beckett than you would be aware that my wife is planning to accompany him."

 

Woolsey's lips tilted in a sardonic smile. He hadn't missed the emphasis on Sheppard's words. He sighed thinking of what he wanted to say next when Elizabeth suddenly spoke up.

 

"John, if you and your team wouldn't mind...I believe that I'd like to speak with Mr. Woolsey alone."

 

Woolsey's head shot up and his eyes narrowed and John started to wonder what the man would think if he grabbed his glasses and shoved them up his tight ass. It might make him see things their way a little better but John doubted it. But he wasn't about to let this chance to get away from the little man slip past him.

 

John was out of his seat and into the corridor before Ronan or Teyla could speak to him and from the tense set of his shoulders and the direction that his determined steps were taking him, they didn't bother to try and follow him. They were about to get out of their own seats when Teyla reached out and touched Ronan's arm, gesturing for him and Rodney to stop.

 

"We should not leave you alone, Elizabeth." Teyla said softly but Elizabeth only shook her head and smiled slightly.

 

"Thank you, but I'll be alright." She cast a glance at Woolsey. "I can handle him."

 

"I don't like him." Ronan didn't look very happy and even Rodney seemed to be agitated at the presence of the man.

 

"Elizabeth, I think Teyla's right." Rodney said so that only they could hear him. "Sheppard's right, too. I don't trust him either."

 

"He's IOA." Ronan snorted. "What's to trust?"

 

"Listen," Elizabeth told them. "I appreciate it. I really do-"

 

"But-" Teyla started but Elizabeth cut her off.

 

"You guys go on." She nodded toward the door. "I can handle Richard Woolsey and besides...I don't want the team any more involved in this then all of you want to be involved." She huffed out a sigh and then smiled slightly. "Its going to be enough of a job trying to keep John from killing him."

 

Ronan snorted. "I might help him."

 

"That's what I'm trying to avoid." Elizabeth replied. "Now, please. All of you. Go on. Let me handle this."

 

"What if talking to him doesn't help?" Teyla asked. "Mr. Woolsey seems to be a rather formidable man."

 

"And I can be a rather formidable woman." Elizabeth said.

 

Finally they all reluctantly left and Elizabeth watched them go. Then she took a deep breath and slowly turned around to find Woolsey staring at her.

 

"Doctor Weir, I don't really think that that was called for." He said.

 

"And neither is your attack on my people or Colonel Sheppard." Elizabeth's eyes flashed angrily.

 

"Excuse me?" Woolsey asked smoothly. "Doctor Weir, I must assure you that my presence here is not an attack on you, your people and certainly not Colonel Sheppard."

 

"Let me assure you of something, Mr. Woolsey." She rested her hands on the table and leaned forward slightly. "I know why you are here and I want you to understand now that I will not put up with anymore interference from you or the IOA."

 

He bristled. "Doctor Weir, my intentions or the IOA's are not to interfere. We only want-"

 

"I really don't care what you want and if there is one thing that the IOA is excellent at, it is interfering where they are not wanted or needed."

 

"Doctor Weir, please-"

 

"Mr. Woolsey. you've long out stayed your welcome here as it is." Elizabeth's eyes narrowed angrily. She wasn't stupid and she knew an oily weasel when she saw one. "I want to make one thing absolutely clear to you in case you're having a hard time understanding me. The Atlantis expedition is mine and I hope that you remember that I have the full backing of General O'Neill and The President."

 

"That has nothing-"

 

"To borrow a word from Colonel Sheppard and please excuse my language but...bullshit." She exhaled. "As far as I or any member of this expedition is concerned you are here as nothing more than an observer, Mr. Woolsey and have no authority in this city or over its people." She looked at the file in his hands. "Please feel free to write that in your report to the IOA."

 

Woolsey smiled and Elizabeth got the feeling that she had fallen into the nest of a very dangerous snake. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up but she refused to step back as he got up from his chair. He gathered up his notes and tucked them back into his folder before he looked up and gave her a cool smile.

 

"Doctor Weir, I know that none of you are exactly thrilled with my being here but I want to assure you that I am here just as an observer. Nothing more...nothing less. No matter what you and your team may think of me or the IOA."

 

Elizabeth frowned. He didn't say it but she heard the threat in his words. A cold chill ran down her back as she watched him walk away and she rubbed her arms.

 

Why did she feel like the devil himself had just set foot in Atlantis?

 

3.

 

"What are you doing?"

 

Susan looked up, a slight smile touching her lips when she saw John standing there. Her smile slowly faded. His hands were on his hips and he was giving her that black look that said he was ready to kick someone's ass. Shit. He had gotten into it with Woolsey again.

 

"What does it look like I'm doing?" She looked at the things laid out on the bed. "I'm packing a bag."

 

"I can see that." He snapped. He came into the room and stood behind her. He reached around her and snatched the bag out of her hands to look inside. "Aren't you supposed to be with Carson getting ready for this trip you're so hot about?"

 

"Carson had something urgent that he had to take care of...what do you think you're doing?" She snatched the bag back and shook her head. "And don't snap at me, John Sheppard. I swear sometimes you can be the biggest prick."

 

"God damn right." He growled. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him, grinding his own hips against her. He rubbed his hand over her belly and slid his fingers under the waist band of her panties and dipped his fingers into her. He held her tight and rubbed hard at her clit, just the way he knew that she liked it.

 

Her head fell back against his shoulder and she wrapped her fingers around his wrist. He was such a bastard but she loved it when he touched her this way. She ground back against him and felt the fingers of his other hand brush against her back as he fumbled with his belt.

 

"The hell with that." She reached behind her, gripped the tab on his zipper and yanked it down so that his erection fell hot and heavy into her hand. She stroked him and he growled against her neck. She turned her head, her hot mouth seeking his. Her eyes glowed and she let out a hiss of pleasure when he dipped his fingers into her slick folds. He pinched her clit hard and she arched against him. Laughing, she turned in his arms and gripped the front of his shirt with both hands. He resisted and then let her turn him toward the bed. She was stronger and he still could have easily broken out of his grasp but he didn't want to.

 

She shoved her stuff out of the way and he let her push him down on the bed. He stripped off his shirt and kicked off his boots, his eyes never leaving her as she stripped off her tee shirt. He undid his pants as she hooked her fingers into the waist band of her panties and slid them off her long legs. The heat in the room kicked up as she helped him out of his pants and then she was on him, straddling him and lowering herself onto his thick heat before he really knew what was happening.

 

He tried to touch her but she grabbed his wrists and forced his arms up over his head. She nipped at his neck and then covered his mouth with hers, kissing him hungrily. Her fingers slid across his palms, her fingers curling tightly around his, squeezing hard. He squeezed back and pushed up, tilting his hips and driving himself completely into her. He tried to roll her over but she held him down, her knees pressing tight into his hips.

 

She leaned back, pressing her hands against his thighs as she rode him. He gripped her hips, matching her rhythm, hands sliding up to cup her full breasts, fingers pinching until she moaned and fell across him. He wrapped his arms around her, burying his head in her neck, sucking and biting at her. Still locked with her, he growled and rolled her over on her back. Hands on her hips, he slid his legs off the end of the bed and pulled her with him. He shivered slightly when his feet touched the cold floor but he quickly forgot it when he grasped her knees and pushed her thighs farther apart.

 

She clutched at his shoulders, trying to pull up against him but he pushed her back, one hand curling around her throat. He held her down and thrust into her hard, making her tilt her hips up so that he could push his full length into her. Her fingers curled around his and he clutched at her hand, his own fingers sliding down to grip her wrist. He gripped her other wrist and forced her arms over her head. He reached out to grasp the handcuffs attached to the headboard and cursed when he realized that they were just out of his reach. He snatched one of the pillows instead and pulled it toward him.

 

"Damn it!" He muttered. Grunting, he tilted her up and pushed the pillow under her back. His hands slid under her, his fingers digging into the firm round, cheeks of her ass, pulling her closer to the edge of the bed. John was standing over her, hands braced on the bed, thrusting into her hard. Sweat dripped off of his face onto hers and he bent his head, swiping his tongue over her mouth. He kissed her throat, teeth nipping sharply at the soft skin of her shoulder and then he pulled back.

 

Her long legs wrapped around his waist as he stared down at her and then he was slamming into her, filling her up with his length. He was without mercy, driving into her, the pressure building until she threw back her head and screamed with joy when he exploded inside her.

 

Breathing hard, he collapsed on top of her, his head pillowed between her breasts. He lay like that for a long time, enjoying the feel of her skin against his. She ran her fingers through his hair, lightly scratching and he nuzzled her, his tongue flicking out a rosy nipple before he eased off of her and curled against her side. He rested his head against her shoulder and closed his eyes not wanting to move.

 

"Feel better now?" She stroked her fingers over his cheek and he opened his eyes and looked up at her. She lightly kissed him on the forehead. "Finally get Woolsey out of your system?"

 

"Are you laughing at me?" He growled. His voice was a husky murmur, promising to do very bad things to her if she was.

 

"Poor baby. You'll get over it." She laughed and sat up, slapping her hand against his hip as she crawled over him and off the bed. She left him lying there and headed into the bathroom to take a quick shower.

 

He followed her and stood in the doorway, watching her as she washed. He loved to watch her. She thought that she was too big but to him, she was just right. She had soft curves that he ached to run his hands over and long legs that he wanted to feel wrapped around his waist again. His cock stirred when she stepped out of the shower and he wondered why in the hell he even let her train with Ronan and Teyla would he could give her an even better work out.

 

He started toward her and she gave him a stern look as she snatched a towel off the rack by the shower door. Her tanned skin was slick and her breasts bobbed gently as she dried her hair. "John, I'm already late enough as it is-"

 

"So?" He grabbed the towel out of her hands before she could finish and he wrapped it around her hips and pulled her tight to him. "I changed my mind. I'm not going to let you go off with Carson. You have to stay here and keep me happy."

 

He dropped the towel and trailed his hands down over her body to the smooth skin between her legs. She was still hot and still wet and he thrust his fingers into her, gliding easily over her slick opening. He teased her clit with the tip of his finger, making her squirm against him.

 

She grabbed his wrist and pushed his hand away. "Sorry sweetie, but you'll have to keep yourself happy this time." She wiggled out of his grip and snatched up the towel. She tossed it into the hamper and headed back into the bedroom. She went to the dresser and started to pull out a clean shirt and pants but he followed her. Reaching around her, he snatched them out of her hands and tossed them on the couch.

 

"I said, no." He grabbed her from behind and pulled her back against him. His hands slid over her shoulders and down to her breasts. He cupped them in his hands, tweaking her nipples between his calloused fingers. "You're staying right here."

 

"I am going." She covered his hands with hers but she didn't try to make him let go. She rested her head back against his shoulder and gently nipped at the line of his jaw. "I have to go, John. You know that."

 

"No, you don't. You're the head of your department. Send someone else." He let go of one breast and tangled his fingers in her hair, pulling her head back so that he could kiss her.

 

"No. I won't do that. You know how important this is to me." She kissed him back and then twisted away from him and he let her go.

 

His cock told him to lay a guilt trip on her but he couldn't do it. As much as he wanted her to stay with him, she was excited about this and as much as he teased her, he would never intentionally try to keep her down if it was something that she really wanted. With a sigh, he picked up his shirt and pants and pulled them on, then sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling on his own boots as he watched her dress.

 

She reached for a pair of panties and a skimpy bra and he growled. "I thought that I told you no underwear."

 

"Fine." She gave him a saucy smile and started to put them back in the drawer . "I'll be with Evan and Carson for two days. I'm sure they won't care if I'm not wearing any underwear." Her eyes sparkled.

 

John's scowl deepened. "Changed my mind. Put 'em on."

 

"Yes, sir." She teased him as she took them out again and slipped them on. Pulling on her pants, she sat down to pull on her socks and boots before she slid into one of his black fleece tops. She pulled her damp hair back into a pony tail and then plopped down on the bed beside him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him against her. "I am gonna miss you."

 

"Yeah, I'll bet you will." He leaned into her and every inch of him said that he was going to miss her too. "Damn it. Why did I let Teyla talk me into letting you go in the first place?"

 

"Teyla?" She let him go and sat back. "Don't tell me that you're mad at Teyla."

 

"You know what I mean." He flashed her a dark look. "All this training with Teyla and Ronan when you're supposed to be with me. You're getting way too independent, Suzie Q. Keep it up and I'll have to take you down a peg or two."

 

She laughed and got up from the bed. She knew that he was teasing but there was a hint of erotic promise behind his words.

 

"Like I'm scared of you." She grabbed up her jacket and put it on. "Threaten me all you want, John Sheppard but you'd better remember, I can give you one hell of a payback."

 

"You'd better." He grumbled a laugh and gave her a slap on the ass as he got up from the bed and followed her out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: All characters of StarGate and StarGate Atlantis belong to their respective writers and MGM. This is a work of fan fiction. I just want to play with them for awhile.

 

Copyright 2009 awakethepassion

 

SOT-Transitions Part 3

 

1.

 

Evan parked the Jumper in a small clearing.

 

"Can't we get any closer?" Carson asked, eyeing the packs and bags Susan was stacking on the floor.

 

"This is as close as we want to get." Evan said. "Colonel Sheppard's orders. He doesn't want the Kinani knowing anymore about us then we know about them."

 

"Come on, Carson. Its not that bad." Susan laughed. "I didn't pack that much and the seed packs aren't that heavy."

 

Carson picked up one of the packs and made a face. "Is that before of after I have a hernia?"

 

Evan laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, Doc. We've got to meet those guides at the rendezvous point Teyla set up. We'd better suit up. Its cold out there."

 

"And where is our Athosian friend?" Carson asked as he pulled on the parka Evan handed him. "I thought that she was coming with us."

 

"She was going to but something came up in the camp and she had to go there. She'll meet us later though." Evan came him a sly grin. "You're not scared about meeting them are you, Doc?"

 

"Not when I've got big strong you to protect me." Carson shot back and then shivered as Evan lowered the ramp. "Christ! That's not cold! That's freezing!"

 

"Let's get moving then. We'll stay warm enough."

 

Evan slung a pack over his shoulder as they took the rest and followed him down the ramp.

 

"Aren't you going to cloak it?" Susan asked as the hatch shut behind them and Evan moved away.

 

He tucked the remote into his pocket. "I think it'll be safe enough. The trees will shield it and I don't think anybody's going to be out here doing much exploring."

 

The ground was hard and frozen, the dry grass crunching under their feet as they moved out of the clearing. Up ahead they saw movement and dark figures moving to meet them. As they drew closer one moved ahead of the others.

 

"Welcome!" He called out.

 

Her eyes widened slightly when the man pushed back the hood of his parka. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she took a step back then stopped when she realized that Lorne and Carson were watching her.

 

"Vaden."

 

"Doctor Sheppard." He smiled and bowed to her slightly. "A pleasure to see you again." He turned and nodded to Carson and Lorne then bent down to pick up one of the cases they'd taken out of the Jumper.

 

Carson touched her arm when he turned to pick up another. "You know him, love?" He asked softly.

 

Susan nodded. "Unfortunately." She muttered and then shook her head when Carson gave her a strange look. "He's Jaiya's son. He was at the wedding."

 

Carson nodded. He knew that John didn't like the man. "Are you alright with this? We can go back."

 

She nodded and moved to help carry the other loaded packs. "It'll be okay."

 

It was obvious that he didn't believe her and wanted to ask more but he only picked up his medical case and fell in step behind the others. He kept looking back at her as they started down the trail toward the settlement. Lorne walked behind her and after they had been walking for quite a while, he moved up beside her and gently touched her shoulder when the others weren't watching.

 

"You okay, Doc?" He had seen the look on her face and it had concerned him. His eyes narrowed when the tall man glanced back at them and then quickly looked away. "Something I need to know about?"

 

"Have you got a year?" She mumbled and then took a deep breath. "Nothing I want to talk about right now."

 

"Listen, Doc..." He touched her arm and then suddenly stopped when the others in front of them halted. They seemed to be looking at something in the distance and a frown crossed his face.

 

"What is it?"

 

"I don't know. Stay here." He told her then pushed past her and walked to the front of the group.

 

Susan shifted the bag on her shoulder and moved closer to Carson. The others were acting fidgety and kept glancing up at the sky. She was about to ask Vaden what the hell was going on when she saw it herself. A gray smudge had blotted out the mountains ahead and she was beginning to get a very bad feeling that they should have argued to bring the Jumper closer to the settlement.

 

In a few minutes, Lorne was back and from the look on his face she knew that her feeling had been right.

 

"What's up?"

 

"We might have a problem." Lorne said.

 

"Storm?" Susan asked, looking up at the quickly darkening sky.

 

Lorne nodded. "We're going to all have to stay pretty close. Vaden says that when those storms blow in they come in pretty fast and strong." He sighed and shook his head.

 

"Maybe we should turn back." Carson said. "Wait out the storm in the Jumper."

 

Lorne shook his head. "We're probably about a mile from the Jumper now. We wouldn't even get half way before that storm comes down on us. Let's just stick together and get to the settlement before it does."

 

2.

 

Stick together...sure...that was easier to say than do when the wind seemed to be blowing at fifty miles an hour and every step was like pushing against a wall that refused to give. A few slips and slides and she and Lorne had gotten separated from the group in no time flat.

 

Damn it. John was going to have a field day with this one. Her first real trip out without him and this had to happen. Sheesh...the asshole was never going to let her live this one down.

 

Susan stopped and took a breath. Even with the scarf covering her nose and mouth her face felt frozen and she was wishing now that she'd taken one of John's pairs of sunglasses. At least then her eyes would have had some protection from the stinging bits of ice and snow.

 

"Carson!" Susan pulled down the scarf and covered her eyes. She squinted, trying to see through the thickly falling snow. The wind was really howling now and its bite was bitter and cold. Shivering she tugged the hood of her parka down and pulled the strings tight, tugging the scarf back up over her face. She could barely see a thing in the thickening gloom but at least it was a little bit warmer.

 

"It's no use, Doc!" Lorne put his hand on her shoulder and leaned close to yell in her ear. "We're not going to find them now. Our best bet is to try to get to the Jumper and wait out the storm."

 

"We can't just leave them out there, Evan." She turned around so that she could see his face.

 

"And what are we going to do?" He yelled back. "End up getting lost ourselves? At least Carson's got the guides with him." He put his hands on her arms. "Right now, my first priority is getting us back to the Jumper, especially you."

 

She didn't need to see his grin; she could hear it in his voice.

 

"Do you think I want the Colonel coming after me if you get hurt?"

 

She stared at him for a second and then shook her head. "Okay! But which way do we go?"

 

He raised his head and looked around, trying to find anything that might look familiar. Pulling his flashlight from the pocket of his coat, he thumbed it on and flashed the beam around. "I know that there was a trail..." He stopped, shining his light on a barely discernible path winding through the trees. "There it is! Its not covered yet. Let's go!"

 

Taking her arm, he held her close to him as he headed for the path. Under the thick stand of trees, the wind and snow wasn't so bad and they were able to go a far distance before he stopped and flashed his light around again. "Damn it!"

 

"What is it?" She brushed a hand across her face to wipe the snow out of her eyes and looked up at him.

 

"Do you remember coming this way?" He flashed the light around again. The wind was howling even louder and now there were bits of ice mixed in with the snow. He wiped his hand across the front of the flash light knocking off the sheen of ice so that the light was a little brighter.

 

She looked around then shook her head. "I can't tell!"

 

"Shit!" He cursed and tightened his grip on her arm. "I hope to hell we're not lost."

 

"Well, we can't go back!" She looked over her shoulder at the way they had come. The snow was starting to fall faster and the path behind them had all but disappeared. "Maybe there's a cave around here somewhere. We can take shelter and get out of the wind at least."

 

"I don't remember seeing any caves around here, Doc." He gave her a look. "Do you?"

 

Glumly, she shook her head. Shivering, she curled her gloved hands deeper into the sleeves of her coat and moved closer to him. "I think we should keep moving, Evan. It's better than standing here and freezing to death anyway."

 

Lorne shook his head and slipped his hand under her arm. "Come on then. And stay close to me. If we get separated..."

 

She smacked him on the arm. "Don't even think about that!"

 

"Then stay close to me and I won't." Flashing his light on the ground, he finally managed to pick up the faint mark of the path leading through the woods. Tugging on her arm, he pulled her after him.

 

They walked in silence for awhile, Lorne breaking a trail through the snow so that she could follow in his footsteps. Susan kept her head down and her hand tucked into his pocket so that she could hold on to him. She knew that it was an effort for him because he was basically dragging her along but there was really nothing else they could do if they didn't want to get separated.

 

"God damn!"

 

"What the hell...Evan!" Susan stumbled when there was suddenly a loud cracking sound and Lorne went down on his knees. She grabbed at him, trying to slip her hands under his arms.

 

Bitterly cold water was splashing up around them and Lorne was hanging on to her with a death grip as he tried to get his feet back under him. He was already soaked to the waist and she was having a hell of a time trying to hold on to him as he slipped and slid over the icy rocks.

 

Wrapping her arms around his chest, she fell back and took him with her. She locked her hands together and scrambled back as much as she could even though the sharp rocks were biting into her back and thighs. She had to get him out of the water.

 

Breathing hard, she lay there for a few seconds trying to catch her breath. Lorne was heavier than he looked and it was an effort to roll him off of her but she found the strength somewhere. Now, she had to get him to his feet. Leaning over him, she pushed the edges of his hood back and pressed a hand to his cheek. At first she thought he was knocked out but then he opened his eyes and looked up at her. He grinned slightly even though his lips were turning blue and he was starting to shake.

 

"I think we're close, Doc." He managed to stammer out. "I remember that we parked the Jumper pretty close to this creek."

 

"Yeah..." She tried to return his grin. "I do too." She raised her head and breathed a sigh of relief when she spied something looming huge and dark just a few yards ahead.

 

"There it is! Thank God you didn't cloak it!"

 

"Excuse me, Evan. But I need the remote to open the door."

 

"No." He pushed her hand away and tried to unzip his parka but his hands were shaking so badly and his fingers so heavy that he couldn't grip the zipper. "There's a latch."

 

"Where is it?"

 

He tried to show her but he was shaking so hard that he couldn't point it out and she was too tired to try and search for it.

 

"Forget it. Just let me have the remote." She started to undo the zipper on his coat but he tried to edge away from her.

 

"Doc..." He tried to stop her but she wouldn't let him.

 

"Don't argue with me." She pushed his hands away and gripped the zipper herself. Pulling it down, she slipped her hand inside and into the pocket of his uniform jacket and pulled out the remote. Tucking it into the pocket of her coat, she zipped him up and slipped her hands under his arms. "Do you think you can stand up?"

 

"I can try." Gritting his teeth, he held on to her as he got to his knees and then slowly to his feet.

 

Slipping her arms around his waist, she leaned close to him. Now that his clothes were wet, it was even harder for them to move but they finally made it the last few steps. She made him lean against the side of the Jumper so that she could thumb the remote. As soon as the hatch was open, she tugged him up the ramp and closed it behind them. With the rear hatch closed it was a lot warmer but Lorne was shivering and shaking like a leaf in the wind when she helped him down on one of the seats in the forward compartment.

 

Shrugging out of her parka, she wrapped it around him then set to work digging through the cabinets, dragging out every spare blanket that she could find. There weren't many but at least there was one thermal blanket she could spread out on the floor and another three that she could wrap him up in. She closed the inner doors behind her and set to work. When she was finished, she turned her attention back to him.

 

"Damn it."

 

She heard him curse and bent down to help him.

 

"What's wrong?" She asked.

 

"Storms getting worse." He was looking at the HUD. Outside the view screen was already covered by the thickly falling snow and they could barely even see a glimmer of light. He leaned back and rubbed a shaking hand across his forehead. "I could at least warm it up in here a little."

 

"How long will the Jumper's battery hold out?"

 

"I don't know." He shook his head and tried not to show how hard he was shaking.

 

Susan shook her head and knelt down next to him.

 

"What are you doing?" Lorne raised his head slightly and looked up with alarm when she started to unlace his boots.

 

"Getting you out of these wet clothes." She tugged off one boot and soaked sock and went to work on the other. "I need to get you dry and warm before hypothermia sets in."

 

"Just give me a blanket." He tried to scoot back when she started to unzip his parka. Weakly, he tried to push her hands away. "I'll be fine."

 

"Shut up, Evan." She undid the zipper and pulled him forward so that she could get it off of him. "I'm not going to let you sit here and freeze to death just because you're embarrassed."

 

"I'm not...embarrassed." He chattered out. "I just..."

 

Susan rolled her eyes. "If you're worried about Sheppard, don't be. He's a big boy and I don't think he'd like it very much if I let his favorite Major freeze to death either." She tried to keep her words light but when she reached for the zipper on his pants, Lorne nearly slid off the bench.

 

"Doc..." Face red, he pushed at her hands. "Please...I can do that myself."

 

"Evan...come on." Lightly, she wrapped her fingers around his wrist. "Your fingers are so blue and stiff you can barely bend them. Let me help you. I'm not Carson but I do know a little bit."

 

"You don't..." He stopped, took a deep breath and slumped back. With a resigned sigh he shook his head.

 

"If it makes you feel better I'll cover you up." Snagging up one of the blankets, she laid it over him before she made him sit up. He tried to help her get his parka off and after a bit of struggling she had it off him. His shirt was next and then she helped him ease down on top of the blanket on the floor.

 

Spreading the blanket over him, she tucked it around his arms before she slid her hands down to undo his pants. Keeping his eyes closed, he turned his head away from her as she pulled the heavy wet material down over his hips and off his legs.

 

Settling down beside him, she started to massage his legs. He was so cold. She needed to warm him up fast and there was really only one way to do it. Thinking quickly, she stood up and started to take off her clothes. Lorne was buried under the blankets and didn't see her but he certainly felt it when she lifted up the blanket and slipped in next to him. He stiffened and would have jumped away from her if she hadn't wrapped an arm around him to hold him still.

 

"Doc..." He weakly pushed at her arm. "I really...really...don't think..."

 

"Come on, Evan." She nestled against his back and pulled the blankets over them. "Just relax. I'm not completely naked."

 

"Doesn't help." He chattered out and tried to hug his arms around himself. "God...the Colonel is...is gonna kill me..."

 

"Evan will you just shut up." Susan snuggled closer to him and slipped her feet close to his. "I'm not going to take advantage of you. I'm just trying to keep you warm."

 

He was quiet for a minute and then she laughed when she heard his quiet voice.

 

"It's working."

 

2.

 

"Colonel Sheppard, please come to the control room."

 

John sat up with a start at the sound of Elizabeth's voice. He tapped the mic at his ear. "Elizabeth? Did they radio?"

 

Her voice sounded clipped and strained. "No. But you need to get down here. Now."

 

A cold feeling of dread settled in his belly and he didn't even bother clicking off his computer as he headed out the door. He doubled timed it to the control room and when he got there and he saw that the look on her face matched the sound of her voice; the feeling of dread grew even worse.

 

"What's wrong?" He demanded to know. He turned and looked at the two scientists huddled in front of one of the view screens. "Somebody had better tell me now."

 

Rodney flashed him an annoyed look and then sighed and pointed at the screen. "Take a look for yourself."

 

John stepped closer to the screen. "What the hell is that?"

 

"A snowstorm." Rodney pointed at the view screen. "Looks like a pretty big one too. Lorne missed the check in deadline so I decided to send a MALP through and see what was happening..." He waved a hand at the snow blasted landscape showing on the screen. "And I saw this."

 

Radek nodded. "It seems to be encompassing the whole eastern side of the continent."

 

"What about the Kinani?" John looked at the both of them. "Their winter settlement is underground isn't it?"

 

Radek nodded again. "We were hoping that they were taking cover in the Jumper or close enough to radio us. Interference from the storm is preventing us from getting a stable connection though."

 

"The Jumper?"

 

"The storm hit just an hour after the Jumper should have landed." Radek swallowed hard.

 

"Guides were supposed to meet them." John said.

 

"We know that. But we don't have any way of knowing if they did." Radek said.

 

"It should have only been a short walk to where they were supposed to meet."

 

"They would have had to walk to the settlement...perhaps a half hour or more. We estimate that the storm hit before but...but that doesn't mean..." He cast a quick glance at Rodney and Elizabeth." He shrugged slightly and fell silent.

 

"Shit!" John whirled around and headed down the steps into the 'Gate room and impatiently paced across the floor while Teyla and Ronan sat on the steps behind him. "Damn it." He slapped his hand against his thigh and huffed out a sigh. "I knew that I should have put a stop to this."

 

"Put a stop to what?" Teyla's eyes narrowed slightly and a scowl crossed her face because she knew what Sheppard was going to say before he even said it. "What do you think you are going do? I know that you want to protect her but you cannot keep her in a cage all the time-"

 

John stopped his pacing and gave her an angry look. "She wouldn't have done this in the first place if you hadn't egged her on."

 

Teyla was really trying to hold on to her temper. She knew that Sheppard was just fretting because Susan was out there somewhere lost in the storm and he couldn't get to her. Getting to her feet, she stepped up behind her friend and put a hand on his shoulder.

 

"John, I know that you are worried but she is with Lorne. He is smart and she is not stupid either. The three of are probably safe and warm on the Jumper riding out this storm."

 

"Good choice of words, Teyla." John growled and pulled out of her grasp. "And you should have gone with them, Teyla. You know these people. They don't!"

 

"And I would have but-"

 

"That's not good enough, Teyla."

 

"You know that's not what she meant, Sheppard." Ronan said when he saw the angry look on Teyla's face. He got to his feet and headed down the steps. "You want to go after her? Then let's go after her. I'm tired of sitting around here waiting anyway."

 

"Hold it a minute, gentlemen." Elizabeth had heard them. Leaning over the rail from the control room, she gave Sheppard a sympathetic but stern look. "No one is going anywhere until we know just what the hell is going on."

 

"I already know what the hell's going on." John snapped at her. "Susan, Carson and Lorne are caught out there somewhere." Hands on his hips, he glared up at her. "For all we know they could be freezing to death while we stand around here with our thumbs up our asses-"

 

"Colonel Sheppard, have you listened to one word that either Radek or Rodney's even said?" She started down the stairs toward them. "There is a blizzard tearing through that settlement right now."

 

"Even more reason-"

 

"Even more reason for us to wait until the storm passes." She cut him off. She started to lay a hand on his shoulder but stopped when he took an angry step back from her. "John-" His jaw tightened and he rubbed a hand across his face. He was trying not to show it but she saw the look of fear in his eyes. "We're all worried. But it's not going to do you or Susan any good if you end up getting lost yourself."

 

She looked at Ronan for support but got the same stubborn and determined look that Sheppard had on his face.

 

Teyla glared at him. "John, they were with several guides. Vaden would not-"

 

"Vaden?" John rounded on her angrily. "What the hell is he doing there? Susan never told me-"

 

"Because she did not know." Teyla kept her eyes on his face. No one knew about the trouble that they had had with Jaiya's son and she had hoped to keep it that way, but she feared that John's temper was going to ruin that. "I did not even know until just a few moments ago when I spoke with Jaiya. I was coming to tell you when Elizabeth called me to the Control Room."

 

"How the hell did he get there in the first place?" John asked. He hadn't seen the man since their wedding day. He'd just assumed that the man had gone to another of the Athosian settlements on the mainland.

 

"Jaiya has family living within the Kinani settlement. Vaden was among the last group to move to their settlement for the winter season." Teyla told him quietly. "She had assumed that he had moved on to another settlement further along the coastline."

 

"Well, apparently he didn't." John forced himself to be calm. He turned away from her and angrily began to pace again. He knew that they were watching him but he was way past caring.

 

He was tempted to stomp up the stairs and dial in the address himself but he stopped when he saw Woolsey coming down along the walkway. A scowl crossed his face and he quickly turned his back and concentrated his stare on the 'Gate, as if he were willing it to open all by its self. Then his eyes flickered to where Woolsey stood and the hairs on the back of his neck went up. God, but he hated that slick little weasel but he knew that it wasn't going to do him any good to let his anger get away from him.

 

"So...in other words we just sit here and rotate until the storm blows out." He squared his shoulders and then gave Rodney a glaring look. "How long?"

 

Rodney checked his screen. "At least another five hours."

 

Five hours...five hours of complete hell.

 

"Colonel Sheppard, I-"

 

John turned around and Woolsey shut up when he saw the look on the man's face and he swallowed back the words he had been about to say.

 

"Five hours." He looked at Ronan and Teyla. "In five hours I want you suited up and ready to go."

 

Without another word or a glance at any of them, the Colonel turned around and walked away

 

2.

 

As soon as the five hours was up, John was ready and waiting at the 'Gate. Ronan was with him and two Marines stood at attention behind him. Teyla stood beside Ronan and it was a strained silence among the group as the event horizon engaged.

 

John was the first one to step through and see the sunlight glittering on the thick blanket of snow and ice as they stepped out of the Gate. John pushed back the hood of his parka and squinted against the glare. Shielding his eyes with his hand, he looked around.

 

"See anything?" He asked as the rest of the group moved out behind him.

 

"Something over there." Ronan lowered his binoculars and pointed to a dark shape about a half mile ahead. "Could be the Jumper."

 

"Could be a rock too." John lowered his hand, pulled his sunglasses from his pocket and glanced at the two Marines that had followed behind them. "Daniels, McCray...you go that way." He pointed toward the line of trees in the distance. "Ronan, Teyla and I will check out whatever that shape is. Radio me if you see anything."

 

"Yes, sir."

 

John watched them as first one then the other man stepped off the platform into the knee deep snow. "Fuck." He grumbled. "I knew this wasn't going to be easy."

 

**

 

Susan rolled over on her back and rubbed her hand over her eyes. Sunlight was streaming in through a small space on the Jumper's front screen and casting the small space into shadow. She looked at her watch, thinking that it had to be sometime near mid morning but when she looked at her wrist, she remembered that she'd left the thing back in her quarters.

 

"Shit!' She muttered and sat up, pushing back the covers. Evan was on his back beside her, his head turned slightly toward her and so deeply asleep that he didn't even move when she pressed her hand against his chest. He was warm and thankfully his face was a little flushed. She slipped out from under the covers and was reaching for her pants when she heard a scraping noise and turned around.

 

The snow over the view port was moving. At first she thought that maybe the heat of the sun was melting it off and then she saw a gloved hand and realized that someone was pushing the snow off the glass. Dumb struck, she just watched for a few minutes and then she saw a familiar shock of dark hair.

 

John pushed some more of the snow off the shield and took off his glasses and tucked them into his pocket. He breathed on the shield, rubbing at it with his gloved hand until he had a patch big enough to see through. Cupping his hands around his eyes, he peered inside just as Susan raised her head and looked up at him.

 

His heart jumped at the thought of knowing that she was alive and then his mind made him realize that she wasn't wearing anything more than her bra and panties and Lorne was huddled up under the blankets. His eyes went dark and he quickly stepped away from the front of the Jumper.

 

"They in there?" Ronan stepped closer, aiming to look inside but John pushed him back.

 

"Yeah." He said roughly. "Let's get around to the hatch. See if we can dig out the snow and get it open."

 

Susan stilled when she saw Sheppard's face and the smile that quickly faded. Oh, crap! She grabbed her pants and dug around until she found her socks and boots. By the time she was zipping up her jacket, she heard yelling and pounding on the rear hatch. She stepped out, closing the compartment behind her. Lorne was still pretty much out of it and she didn't want him to get any worse.

 

She pressed her hand over the control and stepped back out of the worst of the wind as John and Ronan with Teyla close behind, hurried inside. Ronan closed the hatch and Susan went to Sheppard, sliding her arms around his neck and resting her head against his shoulder. His coat was open a little at the neck and she kissed the hollow of his throat, thinking that he smelled like cold air and snow. He tensed and then after a minute, pulled her close and rested his cheek on top of her head.

 

"How's Lorne?" His voice was gruff and then he pushed her out of the warmth of his arms and nodded toward the closed door to the cockpit.

 

"Still asleep." She opened the hatch and they followed her inside, Ronan shutting it behind them to keep it at least some of the heat. She knelt down beside Lorne and tucked the covers around him a little tighter.

 

John nudged the pile of still damp clothes with the toe of his boot. "What happened?"

 

"He fell into the creek when we were trying to get back to the Jumper and got soaking wet." She looked up at John. "We have to get him back to Atlantis. That water was freezing and he could be suffering from hypothermia."

 

John wouldn't look at her, he busied himself with calling his two Marines, instructing them to head back through the Gate and make sure that a medical team was standing by. Ronan gave her a look and then glanced at Sheppard but he didn't say anything.

 

Teyla opened her pack and took out a thermos. She opened it and poured out a cup of the steaming, fragrant tea. She pushed it into Susan's hands and she gave her a thankful nod.

 

"Thanks." She took a sip of the tea and cradled the cup in her cold hands.

 

"Where's Carson?" John finally asked in a cool tone. He sat down in the pilot's seat, leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.

 

Susan looked at him and sat down in the co-pilot's seat. "Hopefully back at the settlement. He was still with the guides when we got separated."

 

John was silent for a minute and then he gave her a quick dark look. "What the hell were you two doing out here by yourselves?"

 

"We weren't by ourselves." Susan replied calmly. She knew that he was pissed but she wasn't about to get into a shouting match with him while Ronan and Teyla were sitting there. "We were following the guides back to the settlement. The storm came up on us and Lorne and I got separated from the group."

 

"You should have stayed together." John practically snapped at her and turned his head to glare down at the covered form of Lorne on the floor. "Or had some sense and stayed in the Jumper if you knew a storm was coming."

 

"We didn't know and when we realized that it was-" Susan said evenly. Damn him...her fingers curled into a fist and it was all she could do not to hit him. "It came up on us that fast."

 

John's eyes narrowed angrily. "Lorne should have-"

 

"Lorne did exactly what he was supposed to do, John." Susan shot back at him. She forced her fingers to uncurl before she really did hit him. She glanced back and saw Teyla looking at her and then she looked away. "And right now-"

 

"We need to get back to the city." John cut her off, his fingers tightened around the controls and he wouldn't look at her again but his eyes darkened when she slid out of her seat and knelt down next to Lorne. "Then we can come back and look for Carson and the settlement."

 

She pressed her hand against his forehead and he opened his eyes and looked up at her. He didn't say anything just glanced from her to Ronan and then back at Sheppard as the Jumper lifted into the air and headed for the 'Gate.

 

Susan motioned for Lorne to be quiet and she stayed with him when the ramp opened and a medical team rushed inside. She stepped back as they lifted him onto the gurney. When they were gone she started to take her seat at the control panel.

 

"What do you think you're doing?" John's snapped. "You're going with them."

 

"I'm not."

 

"You are. You need to get checked out too."

 

"I didn't get soaked like he did. I'm fine, John and I'm going with you."

 

"No. You're not."

 

"Yes. I am."

 

"No. You're-" He was really fighting to hold onto his temper. "Don't argue with me about this."

 

"I'm not arguing with you and I am going, whether you like it or not. They don't need me to take care of Lorne and there's no reason that I can't return with you." She crossed her arms and settled back more in the seat. "I went there for a reason and I'm going to finish what I started out to do."

 

"I can order you to get off this jumper." He glared at her.

 

"Since when do I ever listen to you?" She asked calmly.

 

His eyes blazed and his lips thinned with fury. "Susan, either get off this Jumper now or I'll carry you off."

 

"Try it and I'll kick your-" She was half way out of her seat when she realized that Teyla and Ronan had backed away and retreated to the rear of the Jumper. She got up and walked back to slap her hand against the door control so that they were alone. "Why are you acting like this anyway?" Her eyes narrowed slightly.

 

"Susan...I mean it." He took a step toward her. "Don't make me tell you again."

 

"Do not talk to me like I am a child." She snarled at him.

 

"Then stop acting like one." He snarled back.

 

She kept her voice calm when what she really wanted to do was smack the shit out of him. "I told you. I came on this mission for a reason and I am going to do what I set out to do. Now, you can either take me yourself or I'll wait until Lorne is better. Either way, I'm going."

 

"Unless you've forgotten, Doctor Sheppard...I am the Military Commander of Atlantis. Lorne works for me." He jabbed his thumb into his chest.

 

"And you work for Elizabeth Weir, Colonel. I believe that she is essentially the Governor of Atlantis and the final say is hers." She smiled sweetly at him, knowing that it was going to piss him off even more. "Do you really want me to take this matter up with her?"

 

His face went beet red. "Are you trying to pull rank on me?" He hissed.

 

"Whatever you want to call it." She sat back down in the seat and crossed her arms over her chest. She hated herself for it, but at the moment she really didn't care that he looked mad enough to bust a blood vessel. "Now, are we going to continue arguing or are we going to go and find Carson?"

 

He moved toward her, acting as if he were going to carry out his threat and then he lowered his hands and stepped back. Then he turned his head slightly and gave her a sly look before he turned back to the controls.

 

"I'll take care of you later."


	4. Chapter 4

 

 

Disclaimer: All characters of StarGate and StarGate Atlantis belong to their respective writers and MGM. This is a work of fan fiction. I just want to play with them for awhile.

 

Copyright 2009 awakethepassion

 

Chapter 4

 

1.

 

Susan didn't think that the air in the Jumper could get any colder. John was tense and quiet and even Ronan and Teyla were making an effort not to look at him. She knew that they had heard the little exchange between them and she sighed and rubbed a hand across her forehead.

 

This was getting crazy.

 

How could something that was supposed to be just a simple mission get so twisted out of control?

 

As soon as the engines had died down he cloaked the ship and turned to her. "We need to talk. We need to get some things straight before we start this expedition."

 

"Yeah. We do." She shot back at him. His eyes narrowed and all she could think about for a second was how good it felt to piss the bastard off again. Although, she really didn't like doing it in front of their friends. But if that's the way he wanted to play it, then she could too.

 

Ronan and Teyla glanced at one another. Teyla looked uncomfortable and anxious to be away from the situation and Ronan just looked pissed off.

 

"First of all…" John's fingers dug into her arm. "You will stay between Ronan and me-"

 

"I can take care of myself, John." She gave him a defiant look and tried to pull away from him but he tightened his grip and wouldn't let her go.

 

She cast a glance at Teyla and the other woman quickly looked away. Slowly it began to dawn on her just why Sheppard was acting like this.

 

"Oh, this is just..you know don't you?" She shook her head and then looked up at him, knowing the answer when she saw his eyes. "This doesn't have a thing to do with Lorne at all, does it? You're acting like an ass because Vaden's here."

 

"The guy from your wedding? Jaiya's son?" Ronan growled and looked from them to Teyla. "What's he got to do with this?"

 

 

John's lips thinned angrily. "Ronan…Teyla. Give us a minute."

 

Ronan's eyes narrowed. His eyes drifted to where John's hand was on her arm and he scowled. "You okay, Susan?"

 

"She's fine." John said. His voice was soft and controlled but the look in his eyes was pure fury.

 

"I was asking her." Ronan kept his eyes on her.

 

"I said to give us a minute, Chewie." John's voice was sharp and Ronan shot him a look so hot that it could have melted ice. "We'll be out when we're through."

 

"Ronan-"Teyla laid her hand on his arm. "Come on. Let them talk."

 

"Talk. Sure. As long as that's all it is." Slowly, his gaze drifted back to Susan. "I'll be right outside if you need me." Then he turned around, pushed past Teyla and stomped off the end of the ramp. After a few seconds, Teyla followed him.

 

When they were gone, Susan pulled out of John's hold. Hands on her hips, she got ready to let him have it but he gripped her chin and made her look up at him.

 

"Do you even see what you've started?" Angrily, she grabbed his wrist and pushed his hand away. "Don't do this, John."

 

"No. Don't, you. And I'll start what ever I fucking well like." He was looking down at her and every inch of his tall, lanky frame emanated an air of danger and controlled anger. "You wanted this, you got this."

 

"What I'm getting is more attitude from you than I want." She said evenly.

 

"You're the one that decided to pull rank on me, sweetheart…so you'd better just learn to deal with it." He took a step toward her, pushing her back until her knees hit the edge of the seat. Hands on her shoulders, he pushed her down.

 

"John, stop this-"She tried to shove him off of her but he wouldn't move. "If you want to keep your balls then you'd better let me out of this chair."

 

"Don't threaten me."

 

"It's not a threat."

 

His smile was evil. "You are going to listen to me." He gave her a little shake. "And we're not leaving this Jumper until you do."

 

"You are such an asshole-"

 

"Yeah, I know. You take every opportunity you can to tell me that." He sneered. "But I mean what I say, Suzie Q. You will stay where I can keep an eye on you. You will not wander off with anyone for anything. You want to do your little project…fine. I won't stop you. But I will be your shadow and if you do not follow my orders, I will drag you back here and lock you in this god damn Jumper myself."

 

"I would." He shook his head. "I have no problem with packing this crate up and getting the hell out of here."

 

"On one condition-"

 

"No." He shook his head. "No conditions. Its not debatable. Its an order. Do you understand me?"

 

"Yes...sir." She said through clenched teeth.

 

"Don't get an attitude with me, Doctor."

 

"I'm not getting an attitude with you, Colonel."

 

"You'd better not either." He gripped her arm and turned her toward the ramp. "Go."

 

When they stepped outside, she waited with Ronan and Teyla until he'd locked the hatch. Turning around, he stuffed the remote into the pocket of his coat. When his eyes met Ronan's he scowled and took a step forward, deliberately close, so close that he could feel her heat.

 

"Let's go." He said tersely. Ronan started to edge close to her and John let him but he kept his hand on her arm, his fingers curling around her elbow and keeping her close to him. She would have pushed him away from her but she found herself leaning into his warmth as they made their long, cold walk down the hill toward the watchers gathered around the entrance to the cave settlement.

 

When they got closer, a man broke away from the group and headed toward them. He pushed back the hood of his parka and she frowned when she saw that it was Vaden making his way toward them.

 

"Fuck." John snorted softly and let go of her arm. he kept his hands free and close to the gun strapped to his thigh.

 

"John-"Teyla's voice was a warning as she stepped up beside them.

 

"I'm easy." He said and gave her a slight smile. He knew that he was being a son of a bitch about this whole thing but he couldn't help it. Not when just the sight of the Athosian man made a chill run up and down his spine. John was good at reading people and this man was giving off enough bad vibes to make even the Devil himself nervous.

 

"Vaden." John stopped and gave the man a curt nod.

 

"Colonel Sheppard." Vaden's face was a controlled mask but there was no mistaking the irritation that flared up in his eyes. He nodded slightly and then looked down at her. "Doctor Sheppard. I am happy to see that you are doing well. Major Lorne?"

 

"Safe and sound." John answered before she could. Then he smiled coldly and gave the other man a snide look. "Thanks for asking."

 

Vaden cut his eyes at him and his smile grew tight. "That is good news to hear, Colonel. Please tell the Major that I hope he continues to do well."

 

"I'll do that." John nodded. He eyed the thing Vaden was holding in his hands and he frowned. "Where did you get that?"

 

Vaden bowed slightly and held the case out to Susan. "This was found when we attempted to find you and the Major after the storm had subsided, Doctor Sheppard. I assumed that you would wish to have it back."

 

Susan took the case and slung the strap over her shoulder. "Thank you. In all the excitement, I forgot that I'd lost it." She glanced up at John and then turned back to look at Ronan and Teyla. Ronan was looking at Sheppard and scowling. When he saw that Susan was watching him, he quickly looked away.

 

She frowned. She already had Sheppard acting like an ass and trying to cover her like a rug. She didn't need Ronan trying to act like her protector too. She shrugged and then shook her head. Well, she'd be damned if she was going to worry about it. She was here for a reason and she was not about to let those two drag her down. Moving away from John, she looked up at Vaden.

 

"Where's Carson?" She asked in a determined tone.

 

"Below." Vaden told her. Stepping back, he motioned for the four of them to follow him. "Come. I will take you to him and you can meet Irina."

 

"Irina?" Susan moved closer to Teyla as they followed him into the cave entrance and down a wide tunnel. It was warmer than she'd expected and the light from the torches placed at intervals along the walls gave out enough light for them not to stumble their way along. "Is she the leader here?"

 

Teyla nodded. "She is the one that requested your help as well as Doctor Beckett's. Jaiya spoke very highly of you to her and she has been quite anxious to meet you."

 

"You told me about the Kinani but how come we've never heard of her before?" John cut a glance at Vaden's back. "Don't you think that this is all kind of sudden, Teyla?"

 

"No." Teyla smiled slightly. "Irina's mother passed away a few weeks ago and she inherited the position. Jaiya has been trying to help ease her into the workings of the clan and when she mentioned the work that Susan has been doing with our people, she requested a meeting."

 

He looked at Teyla and frowned. "Why didn't you mention all of this back...home?"

 

Teyla gave him a look. "I would have but you seemed to be rather preoccupied at the time, Colonel." She tilted her head slightly. "And I would have told you when we were on the Jumper, but you were not exactly listening." She stopped when Susan's face colored slightly and John scowled.

 

"Forget it." He grumbled. Ronan snorted and he gave him a hard look. "Something wrong, Chewie?"

 

Ronan just looked at him and shrugged. "Not with me."

 

John's eyes narrowed slightly. He started to say something and then stopped when they heard a familiar voice.

 

"There you are!"

 

John looked up to see Carson coming toward them, a tall attractive blond following behind him. Stepping forward he seemed oblivious to the look Susan gave him when he gave the woman his patented Sheppard smile.

 

"Hello." He said in that low, I'm-going-to-charm-the-pants off of you voice of his and Susan could have punched him.

 

The woman gave him a tentative smile and then lowered her head. She seemed a little shy and Susan couldn't blame her. Her husband was a natural charmer but there was that underlying hint of dominance that sparked a woman's blood. It really wasn't his fault that he had the face of an angel. But it didn't help her to know that there was a wicked devil hiding behind that smile.

 

"Where's Lorne?" Carson asked with a worried frown.

 

John took his attention off the woman and turned to his friend. "Atlantis." He glanced around and then turned back. "We took him back first."

 

"Is he alright? That storm came up on us fairly fast…" He glanced at Sheppard and then back to Susan.

 

"He fell in a creek before we got back to the Jumper. But I think he's going to be okay." She told him what she had done once she'd gotten him back on board the Jumper but leaving out the part of when John, Ronon and Teyla had found them.

 

Carson grinned and rested an arm across her shoulders. "Smart lass you've got here, Colonel."

 

"Smart ass is more like it." John muttered and stepped back.

 

Susan frowned at him, shook her head and then elbowed her way between him and Ronan. She looked at the young woman standing behind Carson and smiled.

 

"I'm Susan Sheppard." She held out her hand. When she got closer she realized that the woman was really nothing more than a young girl and couldn't have been more than a day over eighteen.

 

"Irina." The girl smiled and touched her fingers briefly. "Doctor Beckett has told us much about you and the Colonel, as has Vaden." She bowed slightly and smiled up at Ronan. "You of course, must be Ronan Dex."

 

Ronan gave a curt nod of his head and went back to surveying their surroundings. He looked over and saw that Sheppard was doing the same thing, though his gaze kept straying back to Vaden. Ronan scowled and shook his head.

 

Irina seemed not to notice or else she was used to thick headed males. "You are just in time for the morning meal. Come, you will join us and then I will show you around our settlement." Her smile widened when she looked at Susan. "After that, I'd be pleased to show you our green house. I have something that I am sure you will be very interested in."

 

Yippee…we're going gardening. John thought to himself dryly, and then his stomach grumbled when he saw the table laden with food and his mood brightened just a little. At least I'm getting breakfast first.

 

2.

 

God damn...was this ever going to be over with?

 

Breakfast was long gone and John's patience was quickly catching up with it. It was already paper thin but he forced himself to keep calm and let Susan and Carson do their thing. Whatever in the hell their thing at the moment was.

 

Most of the morning had been spent getting the fifty cent tour of the place and right now, they were with the settlement's kids and the elderly and Susan and Teyla were helping Carson. After that, Irina was going to show them their underground greenhouse and how it operated.

 

John sighed and looked down at his watch.

 

"Getting nervous?"

 

He turned his head as Ronan eased up beside him and crossed his arms over his chest. He looked about as comfortable with the situation as John felt.

 

"I'm not nervous." John scowled. "I just want to get out of here." He looked around and over the sea of heads; he caught Vaden staring at him. He stood up straighter and glared back at him. "Son of a bitch."

 

"Something up with him?" Ronan growled softly. He didn't know the Athosian very well but there was something about him that made him uncomfortable. He was too…twitchy.

 

"Nothing that I like." John shifted slightly and wished that he had his P90. His hand rested on his belt but his fingers were itching to pull his gun from the holster.

 

Sensing that someone else was watching him, he turned his head and his gaze locked with Susan's amber stare. He scowled when she gave him a stern look.

 

Beside him, Ronan let out an irritated sigh.

 

John looked at him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

 

"Nothing." Ronan grunted and shifted to find a more comfortable spot.

 

"Bullshit." Irritated, John scratched his fingers over the stubble on his chin. He wanted a hot bath, his own god damn bed and as far away from this winter world as he could get. He gave the man beside him a hard look. "You've been acting as broody as a bear with a thorn up his ass since we got here."

 

"Kind of like you, right?" Ronan cut him a look.

 

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" John crossed his arms over his chest.

 

"Figure it out, asshole." Ronan had picked up more from the Colonel than just his attitude.

 

"I'm starting to regret that I taught you all our cusswords." John let out a curse. "If you've got something to say, Chewie…spit it out."

 

Ronan shook his head. "You really are an asshole, Sheppard."

 

John just stared at him for a second and then he barked a laugh. "Took you this long to figure that one out?"

 

"Fuck you." Ronan drawled. He glanced to where Susan sat beside Carson. She was holding a crying child on her lap, trying to soothe the little one while the doctor prepared to give her a shot. "You know what I'm talking about."

 

"Do I look like a fucking mind reader?" John's voice got sharper and he didn't bother looking away when several people turned to look at him. He was already pissed off enough and it was a fight just to keep his temper under control.

 

"Not here. Outside."

 

Ronon grabbed up his parka and headed up the wide tunnel. He didn't wait to see if Sheppard followed him. He stopped just at the edge of the entrance and after a few minutes he turned around to see Sheppard glaring at him.

 

John looked back the way they had come. "Make it quick, Chewie. I don't like leaving her alone."

 

"She's with Teyla and Carson."

 

"Doesn't matter." John said tightly and his eyes went dark. "Cough it up or shut up, Chewie. I don't have all god damn day."

 

Ronan's eyes narrowed. Now that they were away from the main group he felt like he could say what he needed to say. But he had to get his temper under control before he gave Sheppard the Ronan Dex kind of attitude adjustment.

 

"Well?" John snarled. "You look like you want to tear my head off and shove it up my ass, Chewie. If you've got a problem with me, you'd better tell me now."

 

Ronan lost it. "Yeah, I've got a problem with you." He stepped closer and poked a finger into Sheppard's chest. "That little scene of yours back there in the Jumper…" He poked Sheppard again. "I'm just going to tell you one thing, Sheppard. If I ever see her with bruises…I will personally kick your ass."

 

"What?" John's head whipped up and he nearly choked on his fury.

 

Ronan didn't move, he just cocked his head to the side and his mouth thinned into a slash. He hoped Sheppard's reaction was a nasty one because he really wanted to put his fist into the bastard's face. "You heard me."

 

John looked like he was about to explode but his voice was surprisingly calm when he spoke. "Let me get one thing straight with you right now, my friend. I would never raise even a finger against her in anger-"

 

"Really?" Ronan shook his head and snorted in disbelief.

 

"If you've got something to say, Ronon just say it." John spat out. "Otherwise you can just mind your own god damn business."

 

Ronan slammed him back against the wall. Sheppard let out a grunt and his eyes went deadly.

 

"Ronan-"

 

Suddenly, Ronan let him go and stepped back. "You know, Sheppard…you're not even worth wasting a punch on." He started to walk away and then he stopped. No. He couldn't walk away and leave this unfinished. "You want to know what's wrong with me, Sheppard. Okay then…it's you. You and the way you treat her."

 

"You stay out of what you don't understand, Chewie." John seethed as he rubbed his hand over his throat. "What goes on between me and my wife is none of your business."

 

"Well, I'm making it my business." Ronan narrowed his eyes on him again. "And I understand more than you think, Sheppard."

 

"You don't know a god damn thing, Ronan-"

 

"Back on the Jumper…I saw the way you grabbed her arm." Ronan said. "I've been watching you, Sheppard and I don't like what I've been seeing."

 

John stared down at the floor. Jesus. When he looked back up, Ronan tried not to show any reaction to the fear and pain in the other man's eyes. "I know that you think you're protecting her…but so am I."

 

"Oh," Ronan sneered. "So jerking her around is your idea of protecting her."

 

"I wasn't jerking her around." John tried to keep his voice calm even though he was seething inside. "I would never hurt her."

 

"I know what I saw, Sheppard so don't try and feed me that 'I'm innocent' bullshit." Ronan snarled.

 

"Ronan-"

 

"Save it, Sheppard. I don't want to hear it." He poked John in the chest. "But you're gonna listen to me. Susan is the best thing you've got. She's independent, honest and a hell of a lot smarter than you. You just get mad because she speaks her mind and has the balls to stand up to you."

 

"That's not-"

 

"I know men like you, Sheppard." Ronan went in for the kill. "As far as I'm concerned you're no fucking better than Jake."

 

John jerked. His face went red and his hands balled into fists.

 

They went at each other and John hissed when his fist landed a lucky hit on Ronan's mouth. He felt his knuckles split open but he blocked the pain out of his mind as he fought to keep the bigger man from splitting open his skull.

 

"John! Ronan! What the fuck? Stop it!"

 

Breathing hard, both men whirled around and saw Susan running toward them, her face a mask of fury. She stopped a few feet away from them and glared at them angrily.

 

"What the hell do you two think you're doing?"

 

Ronan felt his face get hot as she slowly walked toward them. Angrily, he pushed away from Sheppard. "Nothing." He replied tersely and a wiped the back of his hand over his bleeding bottom lip.

 

"I…everybody could hear you two yelling all the way out into the main hall. So don't tell me that this is nothing." She stopped beside Sheppard. "I want the truth and I want it now so one of you had better start talking."

 

"There's nothing to say." John started to turn away from her but she grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

 

"Bullshit. The way you two were going at it, I thought that I'd better see what was going on before I had to help Carson stitch somebody up." She looked from one man to the other. "Now, is this a private spat or can I get in on this one?"

 

"Nothing to get in on." John said coldly. "And this is not a spat."

 

"Sure. So the whole 'take you apart' thing…that wouldn't have a damn thing to do with the fact that Ronan's got a split lip and your hand is bleeding, would it?" She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a cold stare. When John just gave her a stony glare, she turned to Ronan and tapped her foot impatiently. "I'm waiting for an explanation and I'm not leaving until one of you bastard's starts talking."

 

Ronan's face went red. Angrily, he turned around and started to stomp off.

 

"Don't walk away from me."

 

The cold tone of her voice stopped him. Slowly, he turned back around. "What?"

 

"Don't take that god damn tone with me, Ronan Dex." John made a noise and she turned on him. "You can just shut up too, John Sheppard."

 

John tensed angrily. His back straightened and his eyes narrowed into glittering hazel slits.

 

"Don't even try it." She moved away from him and glared at both of them with a furious look on her face. "First of all…girls…you're going to stop this stupid arguing right now."

 

"I don't have to listen to this-"John started to walk away and she grabbed his arm, pulling him back.

 

"Yes, you do. So you can just shut the hell up and listen to me, John." Susan barked at him. She threw up her hands in anger. "Don't you two idiots know that half of this settlement can hear you? God! If I'd known that you were going to act like this I would have waited until Lorne was better."

 

"I don't care-"John waved an angry hand at her.

 

"Yeah, that's your problem, Sheppard. You don't care-" Ronan's hand clenched into a fist.

 

"Ronan, I said shut up." Susan snarled at him. "And put down your hand. If anyone is going to hit my husband, it's going to be me."

 

Ronan looked at her. Her face was red and her eyes sparked with fury. He'd seen her mad before but right now she looked like she was ready to kill them both. He didn't have a doubt that right now she would knock the hell out of both of them.

 

She pointed from one to the other. "I am going to say this only once so the two of you had damn well better listen." She sighed and shook her head. "I am tired of this crap and you two will stop this nonsense right now. Ronan, I don't know why you have it in your head that John is using me as his own personal punching bag but you are wrong. Dead wrong."

 

"I saw-"

 

She raised a hand to cut him off. "I don't care what you think you saw. I'm just telling you that you didn't see it." Her voice softened slightly. "Ronan, I understand that you think you're protecting me and I love you for that, but you don't need to protect me. John is telling the truth. He has never hit me in anger and he never will." She cut her eyes to Sheppard. "I'd kill his ass first."

 

"Are you finished?" John folded his arms over his chest and gave her a stern look. He was mad. In fact he was madder than hell that Ronon would even think that about him.

 

"Are you going to keep on acting like a jerk?" She glared at him.

 

"Depends. How long do you plan on speaking to me like I am a child?"

 

"Depends." She snarled back at him. "How long do you plan on acting like one?"

 

Not waiting for him to answer, she turned around and angrily stalked away.

 

For a few moments the two men were quiet and then Ronan held out his hand and after a second, John did the same. A silent agreement passed between them as they shook hands and then they both let go and stepped back.

 

"Look, man…I'm-"

 

"Don't worry about it, Chewie." John said gruffly. "As long as we understand each other…I'm cool."

 

But he really wasn't. He wanted to say more but his stubborn pride wouldn't let him and from the look on the big man's face, his wouldn't let him either.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

 

 

Disclaimer: All characters of StarGate and StarGate Atlantis belong to their respective writers and MGM. This is a work of fan fiction. I just want to play with them for awhile.

 

Copyright 2009 awakethepassion

 

Transitions

 

Chapter 5

 

1.

 

John couldn't sleep. He knew that they were safe in their little cubby hole but he couldn't make himself relax.

 

Taking care of the kids and elderly had taken longer than expected and before they had realized it, the evening meal was being served and it was too late for them to explore the greenhouse or the lower caverns.

 

It had started to snow harder again and the air had turned much colder. Though he doubted that it was any colder than the way Susan was ignoring him.

 

She'd made a point of snubbing both him and Ronan for most of the night. He snorted softly. She could refuse to acknowledge Ronan all she wanted, but he was going to be damned if she was going to keep on dismissing him.

 

And fuck if he wasn't going to put a stop to it right now.

 

Rolling over, he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. He tucked his knees into hers and wasn't surprised when she pulled away from him.

 

"Don't." He tightened his arm around her waist.

 

"Don't touch me." She jerked away from him and scooted away from him, burrowing her head against her arm. "I'm still pissed off at you."

 

"I don't care." John grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her back against him. He snuggled close to her so that he could whisper in her ear. "I'm still going to spank your ass for making me look like an idiot in front of Ronan."

 

"Stop it." She hissed at him. The little sleeping area was quiet and they were separated from the others by a heavy hanging. But there was the occasional grunt or snore and Susan knew that if she could hear the others then the other sleepers could hear them.

 

"Do you think that I care if they hear us?"

 

 

"I know that you don't. Its part of your fun."

 

"Poor thing. Am I embarrassing you?"

 

She was quiet but he could almost feel the heat of her anger.

 

"Answer me."

 

"Yes, damn it!" She tried to shove his hand off of her. "I'm not some fucking 'Mary Sue', John. I'm not some perfect little thing that you have to protect all of the time."

 

"I protect what's mine, Suzie Q. And I know good and damn well that you're not perfect." He was pressed against her back and under the blanket his hand was tugging her tee shirt loose from her pants. "I saw that when you stepped through the Gate."

 

"Then why-"

 

"Because you're flawed and scarred. Just like me." He nipped at her ear.

 

Her fingernails dug into his wrist. "Flawed and scarred? The perfect Colonel Sheppard? The man that has every woman creaming her panties if he just breathes in her direction?"

 

"I can't change what I am."

 

"Is that why you're such a bastard then?"

 

"Yes." His laugh was soft and derisive. "And its why you can be such a bitch."

 

"Why are we even having this conversation then?"

 

"Because you keep avoiding it. Like you're trying to avoid me."

 

"I don't want to talk about this, John. Not now. Not here. Not _ever_."

 

"Admit it, Suzie Q. Down deep you're more like me than you want to admit."

 

"I am not like you." She hissed.

 

"Liar. You are like me." He dug his fingers into her side. "Do you remember that first time you stepped through the Gate into Atlantis? You looked up and the minute our eyes met I felt it."

 

"Felt what? Horny?" She snickered.

 

"Joke all you want, sweetheart. I can guarantee that this is going to be the last time I let you get away with it."

 

"I'm not scared of you, Sheppard."

 

"Good. I don't want you to be scared of me but I know that you're hiding something." She tried to pull away from him but he only tightened his grip. "All this crap with your brother and your past. Whatever it is you'll tell me. And soon."

 

"I won't." Her words were stiff and angry. "Its the past and its going to stay there."

 

"You will. I don't like it when people hide things from me."

 

"And how many things are you hiding from me?" This time her laugh mocked him. "You're a good one to talk, Sheppard. If there was ever a snake in Atlantis, you're it."

 

"You just love pushing me."

 

"I know where I'd like to push you." She tried to get an elbow into his ribs but he was holding her too tight. "If I'm so bad then find someone else. I'm sure that there's some prim and proper priss you can make your slave."

 

"If I wanted a prim and proper priss I wouldn't have picked you." He laughed softly. "I don't want them anyway, Suzie Q. They're too boring in bed."

 

"Is that why you tried to collar me, John? Were you just playing with me?"

 

"The collar meant that you were mine." He slid his hand up her arm to wrap his fingers around hers. He traced a fingertip over the ring on her finger. "This ties you to me just as much as that ever did."

 

He slid his hand over the small of her back, rubbing his knuckles over the base of her spine and then dipping down to tease around the waist band of her pants. He tugged at the snap and then eased the zipper down so that he could slip his hand inside.

 

"You know better than that, Suzie Q and I'm going to make sure that you remember that no woman is the boss of me. Not Elizabeth Weir and definitely not you." His palm pressed hot against her belly.

 

"You're not my boss either." She growled out. "And if you think that you're going to tell me what to do..." Her words were as cold as ice. "I _won't_ be your submissive." 

 

"No one talks to me the way that you did and gets away with it." His mouth slanted into a wicked smile and he traced her ear with the tip of his tongue. "And you're wrong. I am your boss. If I tell you to get on your god damn knees and beg for it…you will."

 

"When hell freezes over." She pushed at his hands, trying to get him off of her but he refused to budge. "John, let go of me."

 

He ran his fingers over her, pressing the palm of his hand flat against her mound and sliding one long finger into her, stroking over her slick folds. He pressed the tip of his finger against the sensitive nub and felt the electric tingle race across his skin.

 

"Why? You know that you really don't want me too. You love my authority." He murmured against the back of her neck. His voice was low and rough.

 

"I'm not talking to you anymore."

 

"I don't need you to talk. I can feel how much you want me...want this. Angry sex turns you on." He felt her desire pooling hot against his hand and he slid his fingers over her clit, squeezing until she bucked back against him. "See? You can't resist me."

 

He moved against her back, tugging at her pants until he had them down below her knees. It was dark in their tiny space but his exploring hand knew every inch of her.

 

Holding her still with one arm, he pulled his fingers out of her and unsnapped his pants. He freed his aching cock through the opening in his boxers and lightly grasped her thigh, easing her leg up a little so that the tip of his erection pressed against her entrance. He grunted softly and eased into her.

 

She started to sigh and he clamped his hand over her mouth, letting her taste her own scent on his fingers. "You've got to be quiet, Suzie Q. We don't want to wake up all these sleeping people, do we?"

 

He was barely moving his hips but he was keeping up a constant rhythm as he drove his cock in and out of her in slow even strokes. She could feel the fire fanning out low and hot in her belly and she clutched at his hand. Her breath was coming in low breathy sighs and she turned her head against his arm, biting down on his arm to keep from crying out.

 

He grunted softly as he thrust completely into her in one easy move.

 

"You want me to fuck you hard, don't you sweetheart?" He rubbed his hand over her belly, his hand sliding under her shirt to cup her breast, his fingers squeezing the nipple until she shivered with the need to cry out. "Tell me Suzie Q." He whispered. "You don't want it easy and slow...you want it hard and rough."

 

She bit her lip and wouldn't answer. He thrust against her harder. He was panting and his breath was hot and wet against her ear. "Tell me that you want me to nail you to this bed...tell me that you want every inch of my hard cock in your sweet pussy."

 

She still wouldn't answer and that seemed to just make him more determined. He rolled his hips a little and the delicious friction made her arch back against him. She eased her leg over his, opening her legs a little wider.

 

"Mmm...you don't want me but you're _so_ willing to let me in." He whispered, "Have I told you lately how much I love to fuck you?"

 

Her reply was a hiss and the sound of it made him so hard that he ached. But he held back, wanting to make the torture last as long as he could. He pinched her nipple again and then slid his hand back down over her belly, making her whimper when he stroked his fingers over the smooth skin between her thighs.

 

"You pretend to be so strong. You try to fight me but I always end up winning." He groaned against the back of her neck when she arched into his hand. "You feel so god damn good, Suzie Q. So silky smooth…I bet that if I buried my face in your pussy you'd taste just like the sweetest cream."

 

She tried not to hiss with pleasure when he slid one long finger into her. He rubbed hard at her clit, laughing softly when her breasts pressed against his arm.

 

"You're such a bastard." She gasped when he thrust his fingers into her, coating his hand again with her juices.

 

"I have a reason to be." He taunted. "And it's why you love me."

 

He slid his hand over the curve of her ass, tracing the cleft with his thumb until his slick fingers pressed hard against her anus, teasing. He felt her tense and then she jerked as he slid one and then another finger into her tight hole.

 

He teased her, stroking his fingers in and out of her as he willed his hips to be still. He wanted her to squirm against him but she held her own self still, not giving in to him. Her defiance heightened his lust and he increased the thrusting of his fingers, turning up the speed until he felt her body tightened against him. He smiled when he felt the flow of her liquid pleasure soaking the front of his boxers.

 

"Dirty girl." He whispered against the back of her neck. "You just got me all wet."

 

"Nasty bastard." She ground back against him.

 

Sliding his fingers out of her he moved his arm so that she was held tight against him, his body coiled around hers, then he pulled her onto her back and covered her.

 

His legs pushed between hers and with his weight on top of her, she couldn't have moved if she wanted to. Keeping himself wedged between her legs, he sat up long enough to tug off his tee shirt and toss it to the side. Cool air raced across his skin and he grinned at the way her eyes lit up when the muscles in his chest and belly rippled.

 

"John..." she whispered and her voice was deep and husky with need as she watched him ease his pants down over his hips.

 

"Tell me you want me." Still holding her down, he slid his hands between them and pushed at her pants, sliding them down over her legs and off. He nestled between her thighs. "Tell me damn it. Tell me that you want me to fuck you..."

 

She bit her lip, determined not to answer him.

 

"Tell me, Suzie Q." He whispered harshly. His voice was hoarse and demanding and he knew that she could feel his own need in the way he touched her. "Tell me that you want me to fuck you...right here...right now. Tell me..."

 

"No." She finally whispered.

 

"Liar." He pushed against her, thrusting hard, burying himself inside her. He sounded feral and ruthless. "If we were alone I'd have you screaming my name by now."

 

He held her still, covering her mouth with his to keep her from crying out. Her hands pushed against his chest and he thought that she was trying to get him off of her and then he felt her nails dig into his skin. Oh, God she was clawing at him and the pain just made him crazier to have her.

 

Suddenly, he didn't care that there was only a heavy covering over the doorway that blocked them off from the rest of the sleeping chamber. All he cared about was burying his stiff cock inside her wet heat. He felt her tremble and he pulled back his hips, only to drive himself balls deep inside her with one savage thrust.

 

He was expecting her to fight and she didn't disappoint him. Her nails raked over him as she slid her hands over his chest. His teeth clenched and he struggled to hold back a cry when she pinched his flat nipples, tweaking them to the point of pain.

 

"Oh, that's my naughty girl." John encouraged her as he slid his hands over her belly, pushing her tee shirt up and baring her to his hungry eyes. He squeezed her breasts, plucking at her nipples with his fingers until they hardened under his touch. Dipping his head, he slid his lips over her before he latched onto a rosy tip and swirled his tongue over her heated skin.

 

A moan escaped her lips and he raised his head a little, watching her face as her eyes rolled back in her head. Her mouth opened and he let go of her breast and kissed her again, driving his tongue into her mouth as her body trembled and a sweet, warm, wine like scent permeated the space between them.

 

In seconds he felt his own body tighten and then he was bucking against her as his cock swelled. He felt the twitch and then he was coming so hard that he nearly rolled the both of them off the small platform.

 

Collapsing against her, he buried his face in her neck and just breathed. He could feel her heart racing against his chest and he reached up, digging his fingers into her hair. He lifted his head and met her gaze as he spoke, trying not to drown in that pool of whiskey colored fire.

 

He lifted off of her just a little, bracing himself on his elbows so that his hands could play with the sweaty strands of hair curling around her face. He shifted his hips, letting her feel how hard he still was for her.

 

"I've got more planned for you but right now I want you to promise me something. While we're here…while Vaden's here. I want you to promise me that you won't fight me. That you'll do what I say…that you'll trust me."

 

"I do trust you."

 

"Good." He grinned and dipped his head to kiss her. "But are you going to listen to me?"

 

She was quiet for a second and he laughed at the look in her eyes. He loved that teasing little grin on her face and he pressed his forehead against hers-willing her to do what he wanted. "Are you going to listen to me?"

 

"No…Sir."

 

Fire lanced through him and he ground against her, his fingers digging into her hips as he bit down on her bottom lip and sucked it into his mouth.

 

"If you fight me, Mary Sue I'll tie you up." He whispered against her mouth.

 

Her eyes lit up and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close. "I'll bring the rope."

 

2.

 

John yawned and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. He was tired and even though he'd had breakfast and a huge mug of that crap they called 'tea', he still felt like he could have slept for a month.

 

He looked to where she sat with Teyla and Irina going over the Kinani's ancient records and he shifted slightly trying to ease the ache in his back.

 

As if she knew that he was watching her, she looked back at him and the sly little smile on her full mouth made his cock twitch. Damn it, but the woman knew how to make him horny with just a look.

 

"John, you should look at these."

 

Getting to his feet, he moved to the table and stood leaning against it. He peered over her shoulder, trying to read the squiggly lines on the paper.

 

"What are they?"

 

"Mostly old records." Irina told him. "My mother kept records of every harvest, every birth in the camp, anything that she thought was important."

 

John smiled wryly. "I don't think how many bushels of wheat or how many babies popped out is of very much use to us."

 

"Perhaps not." Teyla said and handed him a piece of parchment. "But this just might."

 

John took the paper and stared it, tilting the paper slightly toward the lantern light so that he could see it better. His eyes widened and he looked up at Irina.

 

"This is it?" He looked at the scattered pieces of parchment and the couple of hand tooled books lying on the table in front of her and sighed. "This is all of it?"

 

Irina nodded. "The cave where these were stored was too damp. My mother tried to restore a few of them but mold and age made them useless. These are the ones that she did manage to save."

 

John picked up another drawing and looked at it. "Is there anything else?"

 

"There are some maps." Irina nodded and got them down from a shelf. Carefully, she laid them down on the table and unrolled one. It showed the lay out of the settlement within the caverns. Irina pointed to one area.

 

"This is the cave where we have the greenhouse." Irina told him. "There is a waterfall that empties into a lake and somehow the water is piped down into the lower caverns."

 

"Who knows, John? If it was something designed by the Ancients there might really be something interesting down there."

 

John nodded. He glanced at Teyla. "We should have brought Rodney with us."

 

Teyla laughed, nodded and then tapped the top of one of the books. "Elizabeth could help us with this too. She knows the language of the Ancestors."

 

Irina pulled one of the books toward her and opened it to a page that Susan hadn't noticed before. "Do you mean writing like this?"

 

John leaned closer to get a look at the page. There were drawings on the page too. Drawings that looked very interesting.

 

"My Grand Mother knew everything that was written in these books and I…I wish that she could have passed even a half of the knowledge on to me but-"

 

Teyla lightly touched the back of her hand. "You've already helped us, Irina and I'm sure that we can help you. Jaiya told you of the land that she's given to us? Perhaps we can work out a trade agreement."

 

Irina nodded and smiled slightly. "And Carson has kindly agreed to help us with some of our medicinal needs as well." She looked at John. "I think that you will find this very interesting, John."

 

"I want to take a look at this before we make any decision." John smiled slightly. "How long does it take to get there?"

 

"Not long." Irina told him. "I have several workers there already rounding up some supplies."

 

"Let's go then. Teyla, you and Susan will go with me. Ronon can stay here and help Carson." He didn't add that Ronon would probably be bored out of his mind. It was better if he left him up top where he could keep an eye on things until they got back.

 

Irina started to gather up the books and maps and Susan and Teyla went to get their packs. John headed up the tunnel behind them only to see Ronon and Carson coming toward them from the main cavern.

 

Carson stopped to talk to Irina. She paled and took off at a run up the tunnel.

 

"What's going on?" John asked as he came closer.

 

Ronon sounded tense. "Storm's coming. Big one too. Runners just came back with the news."

 

"Shit." John muttered. "Well, that kills our chance at getting out of here any time soon."

 

"What's your plan?" Ronon asked.

 

He was quiet for a moment and then he nodded at Ronan, speaking low. "We were going to check out this greenhouse that Irina keeps going on about. Since none of them will be going anywhere anytime soon we'll stick with that. I want you to stay here with Carson."

 

"She's not going to want to go now."

 

"I'll give it a bit. Let things settle down and then talk to her about it in the morning." John turned to Carson. "Irina said that you were going to help them with some of the medical stuff. Think you could manage to get a look at those books and maps, Doc?"

 

"The lass likes me. I don't think that she'll object." Carson smiled slightly. "What am I looking for?"

 

"Anything that looks like it might be useful. Especially the maps. There's something down there. Something that Irina really wants us to see."

 

Carson nodded. "I have a hand held scanner in my pack. I can use it to make copies of my notes and I can download them when we get back to...when we get back home."

 

John clapped him on the shoulder. "Good man. I want everyone to have their radios on just in case of trouble."

 

"Vaden?" Ronon asked roughly.

 

John nodded.  "He's still around here somewhere, I know it. I just don't know if Irina is in on this or not."

 

"I should go with you then, Sheppard. It might be a trap."

 

"It could be." John said. "But we have to make this look like we don't suspect anything. Just keep your radio on in case this all goes to hell."

 

He looked around the cavern. There was an irritating itch right between his shoulder blades.

 

An itch that told him that they were being watched.

 

 

 

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

 

 

Disclaimer: All characters of StarGate and StarGate Atlantis belong to their respective writers and MGM. This is a work of fan fiction. I just want to play with them for awhile.

 

Copyright 2009 awakethepassion

 

Transitions

 

Chapter 6

 

1.

 

He glanced at Ronan but he kept his eyes down and concentrated on the bowl of stew in front of him. Carson kept up a running dialog with Irina and Susan acted like she was listening but she kept giving him little looks that he tried to ignore. It was tense and quiet and when the meal was over even Ronan looked grateful to finally be stretching out on his furs by the hearth.

 

They were heading to the greenhouse first thing in the morning and he was so tired that he couldn't keep his eyes open but John couldn't sleep. Susan was nestled against him, her head on his chest and her arm curled around his waist. But even the comfort of her breast pressed against his side and the warmth of her hand lying against his hip, didn't let him rest.

 

Something was bothering him and it was more than just his hand or the irritating itch of having to watch Vaden every fucking minute. He shifted, trying to find a comfortable spot. They had left the hanging back so that he had a view of the room.

 

Anyone could see them but maybe if he rolled over and just sprawled out on top of her. The sound of her breathing and the beating of her heart against his chest would help calm him down.

 

Pulling the blanket back over them, he closed his eyes and tried to drift off. He was nearly there when a sudden ache low in his belly brought him up again.

 

He lay there for a few minutes hoping the feeling would pass but it didn't.

 

Shit.

 

Being careful not to wake Susan, he pushed back the blanket and got up. Snatching up his parka he carefully made his way through the sleepers until he reached the narrow entryway. One of the night guards nodded to him as he passed into the bathing area and he nodded back.

 

As soon as he took care of business, he was heading back toward the sleeping area. He yawned and then stopped. He felt a little tickle on the back of his neck.

 

Something wasn't right. He was being followed.

 

John heard a noise and he tensed. Someone, a couple of someone's by the sound of it, were behind him. He turned his head and his eyes narrowed when he saw the men behind him.

 

Fuck it to hell! "What are you-"

 

There was the sudden flash of a blade.

 

He jumped back with a yell, swung his fist and tried to jerk back when strong fingers wrapped around his wrist. He fought, trying to break loose from the grip and then he felt something, like the stinging bite of a rattle snake on the back of his hand.

 

"Son of a bitch…" He slumped against the wall; feeling like every bone in his body had turned to mush. He tried to catch himself as he fell but there was nothing to grab onto and he hit the floor hard.

 

The dark brown eyes of the guard stared down at him and then everything went black.

 

3.

 

"Hit him again."

 

A man's voice, gruff and full of anger.

 

John came to like someone had just dumped a bucket of cold water on his head. He blinked, trying to see who the voice belonged to when he was slapped hard across the face.

 

He barely had time to register what was going on when he saw the fist coming for him again. He reached out and his fingers wrapped around a thick wrist. He jerked and the man lurched into him. He yanked his knife from the sheath on his belt and drove it hard into the man's soft belly.

 

"Idiot! You didn't take his knife!"

 

John heard the yell and he shoved the knife in harder until he heard it scrape over bone. Hot blood rushed across his hand and he pulled back, jerking the blade free and shoving the body off of him. He heard another voice faint and low but something in his mind clicked and a shiver ran down his spine. He knew that voice. His lips curled into a snarl. His anger and hate soared through the roof and he spit the man's name out like a curse.

 

"Vaden. Son of a bitch…I knew it was you all along." He twisted the gory blade in his hand and lunged.

 

"Get him down!"

 

John was nearly on him, his hand reaching out to curl around the bastard's throat when something heavy hit him in the side and he went down and dropped the knife. Rough hands grabbed his arms, forcing one arm across his belly while the other was yanked behind his back and then he felt the cold bite of steel handcuffs locking his hands together.

 

Another rope went around his neck and he felt the same around his feet. He tried to raise his head but the rope bit into his neck and he quickly dropped back before his air was cut off. They left him alone then and he almost breathed a sigh of relief but it wasn't long until his body started to sweat and he felt like his heart was going to explode.

 

"What the-Vaden! Let him go!"

 

Nathan? What the hell was Nathan-John tried to turn his head and nearly choked himself in the process. He was breathing hard, trying to keep his wits and listen but the roaring in his ears was getting worse.

 

Nathan was practically shouting. "Vaden…damn it! If you kill him you won't get out of here fast enough before they kill you too. Let him go."

 

"Bring me your sister…then I'll let him go." Vaden's voice was hard and John felt a shiver run down his spine.

 

Susan's face flashed across his mind and he forced himself to calm down. He had to get out of this. He had to. He had to get to her before Vaden could. He tried to talk but he could barely even breathe.

 

"Vaden…if you let him go, I promise that I will bring her to you-" He heard the slight hesitation in Nathan's voice. "But you have to let him go. Now."

 

John tensed, sure that the man was going to let him choke to death and then he felt hands on his throat, untying the rope. Someone else unlocked the cuffs from around his wrists and he fell forward, barely catching himself before he smacked face first into the stone floor.

 

John looked up; shaking the sweat out of his eyes he choked out a growl. "Vaden, you bastard…you won't lay a hand on her-I'll fucking kill you first!"

 

"Sheppard, shut up!" Nathan moved into his line of sight and slapped him hard across the face. Leaning down, he grabbed Sheppard by the collar of his torn jacket and jerked him up until they were face to face. "Just shut your stupid mouth." He hissed.

 

"Son of a bitch-" John hissed at him.

 

"I said, shut up!" Nathan slapped him again and John grabbed his wrist.

 

Drawing on his last ounce of energy he brought his fist up but before he could punch the bastard in the face, he was jerked back and his arms were yanked behind his back. He felt the manacles going around his wrists and he tried to struggle but shadowy figures moved in on him and he found himself being held tight.

 

"Nathan, don't do it! He'll kill her! You know he will!" He tried to fight harder as he was pulled to his feet but his captors held him tight. "She's your sister, god damn it!"

 

The two sized each other up and then Nathan looked away from him. He looked at Vaden. "Take him to the cell. I don't want his face to be the first thing Susan sees when I bring her here."

 

"What Sheppard said, is it true?" Vaden eyed him coldly. "If your own sister hates you then what are you going to tell her? It won't be so easy to keep your part of the bargain if she won't have anything to do with you."

 

"I don't know." Nathan shook his head and then gave Sheppard a sharp glance. "But I'll think of something. As long as I tell her it's about him, she'll listen."

 

"You'd better." Vaden growled and gripped the sleeve of his jacket. "We had a deal, Walker."

 

"You've got Sheppard, don't you?" Vaden jerked out of the man's grasp and brushed his fingers over his arm, like he was wiping off something dirty. "Just make sure you keep him alive until I bring her. Kill him…and I'll make sure that you never find her again."

 

Turning on his heel, he turned and stomped away…leaving Sheppard alone with his captors.

 

 

4.

 

Susan woke up with a start. She moved her arm, reaching for Sheppard but his space was empty. "John?"

 

A hand on her shoulder made her jump. She looked around. Ronan and Teyla were kneeling next to her. Teyla looked anxious and worried. Ronan looked mad as hell.

 

"What is it?"

 

They exchanged a look and she knew that something was seriously wrong. She shoved back the blanket and scrambled up. "Where is he?"

 

A commotion caught her ears. A group of men stood near the entry way. They were all dressed in heavy coats and carrying weapons. Carson was with and he spoke in a low, hurried voice. A young woman stood next to him and when she turned her head, Susan's gaze caught with Irina's anguished blue eyes.

 

A chill raced down her back. "Ronon...where is John?"

 

Teyla shook her head and Ronan spit out a curse. "We don't know. He went out but he didn't come back. I went looking for him. There was blood in the entry way and signs of a scuffle."

 

"Ronon!"

 

"She has to know, Teyla. They think that Vaden took him."

 

"Vaden?" She covered her face with her hands. "I should have known…damn it, John was right…and I led him straight into this. I led all of this into this."

 

Susan started to push past them but Ronan grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "We're going to look for him."

 

"I'm going with you."

 

"No." Ronon said gruffly. "You'll stay here with Carson."

 

"No." She made a grab for her parka but Ronan blocked her way. "Get out of my way, Ronan."

 

He grabbed her, pulling her against him, locking his arms around her so that she couldn't get away from him. "We'll find him." He whispered in her ear. "I promise."

 

 

2.

 

John woke up cold. He was on the ground, trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey. He had no idea where he was but he knew he was in a shit load of trouble.

 

He tried to clear his mind and think about what had happened but he couldn't. Damn, he couldn't make himself focus on anything except the fact that after he'd seen Vaden everything had gone black.

 

Now he was awake and cold, so cold that even his bones ached. He tried to move but the ropes bit into his wrists and ankles, burning him. Closing his eyes he let his head drop back and he stared up at the ceiling, trying to concentrate on the flickering light and the stones over his head.

 

Somewhere far off he could hear a roaring noise. He winced and tried not to shake his head. If only he could get his mind clear enough so that he could think.

 

"Sheppard?"

 

He turned his head and saw the shadowy form standing in the doorway. Disgust rolled through him and he quickly looked away. He would have told the son of a bitch to go to hell but his tongue felt too big inside of his mouth.

 

"Sheppard…listen to me. I don't have much time but I have to tell you…" Nathan crouched down and he kept looking over his shoulder like he was afraid that someone was watching him. "I…I'm sorry but I have to bring her here."

 

John's breath caught in his throat. "No…" He managed to rasp out. "No…he'll kill her."

 

"No." Nathan shook his head. "He won't kill her…he has something else planned for-" A pained look came over his face. "I won't let him hurt her."

 

"Enough." A rough voice growled and Nathan jumped like he'd been shot. He jumped to his feet and spun around to find Vaden and two of his men standing behind him. "Don't you have something to do, Walker?"

 

Nathan just stared at him. "What are you going to do to him? I told you, Vaden. Kill Sheppard and she'll never do what you want."

 

"Don't worry about what I've got planned Sheppard, Walker." Vaden spit at him. He jerked his head toward the dark opening behind him. "But I might change my mind if you don't go and take care of your part of the bargain."

 

Nathan's hands balled into fists. John couldn't see his face…damn it…he couldn't see much of anything. But he didn't need to see his brother in law's face to know that the man was pissed. John blinked, trying to focus.

 

His eye sight cleared a little and he saw the tense set of Nathan's shoulders. His body was tight and he looked like he was going to lunge for the man. John held his breath, waiting…then let it out in a frustrated hiss when Nathan just shook his head and walked out.

 

John's head sank to the floor. Shit.

 

"Get him up." Vaden ordered.

 

John was dizzy but still he tried to struggle. A swift kick to his kidneys had him twisting in pain. Hard fingers twisted into his hair and he was yanked up on his knees. Rough hands held him still.

 

He bit his lip and tasted blood.

 

Nonononono…he forced back the pain. He forced himself to be numb. To feel nothing.

 

Nothing but the hunger to kill the son of a bitch standing over him.

 

He raised his eyes and glared at the bastard. "Son of a bitch."

 

Vaden slapped him hard across the mouth. "We don't want to kill him yet. Untie him and get him on the table."

 

Rough hands jerked him to his feet. He held back an agonized scream when he was shoved against the rough stone table sunk into the middle of what could only be a torture chamber.

 

He held himself still until his bonds were taken off. Blood rushed into his hands and feet in a painful rush but he held back the pain. He waited until his parka was pulled off of him and then he lashed out. His first punch caught one of his captors on the side of the head. The man grunted and fell back but he didn't go down.

 

He gritted his teeth and twisted like a snake. He focused all his anger and pain into one blinding flash of fury. He fought back, using every dirty trick and underhanded punch and kick he could think of but it still wasn't enough.

 

He was too weak and it didn't take them long to wrestle him down. The back of his head smacked against the stone as he was picked up and literally dropped on top of it. Stunned, he squeezed his eyes shut and bit the inside of his mouth when he felt the warm trickle of blood running down the back of his neck.

 

His arms and legs were jerked out and then he felt the rough burn of the ropes being bound around his wrists and ankles again. He heard the scrape of a boot and he turned his head, blinking the sweat and blood out of his eyes, peering through slitted eyes at the man ordering his torture.

 

"Comfortable, Sheppard?" Vaden asked with a sneer.

 

"Fuck you." John managed to growl. His body was on fire but he focused on his anger. His anger and his hate.

 

"No." Vaden smiled his devil's smile. "I'm saving that for your pretty wife."

 

The word's twisted into John's brain. He pulled against the ropes and didn't care about the pain.

 

"I knew that would hit a nerve." He cocked his head slightly. "I guess you can't find some smart ass reply for that, can you Sheppard?"

 

"You're nothing but a piece of shit, Vaden."

 

John saw the fist coming at him but he knew that there was nothing he could do about it. Black spots rolled in front of his eyes and he thought he heard a bone crack. Blood filled his mouth and he nearly gagged at the taste.

 

He refused to cry out and that seemed to infuriate Vaden. He hit him again, a blow so hard that his ears started to ring and his eyes watered.

 

Breathing hard, John gritted his teeth and waited for the nausea to subside. "Big man, aren't ya?" He managed to grind out. "Had to strap me down."

 

"Wouldn't want you trying to get away." Vaden moved a little closer and John could smell his sweat and something damp and moldy.

 

"Nah…" John managed to laugh. "I think it's because you're a big pussy and you're afraid of me."

 

Vaden's eyes went dark and he leaned close to whisper in John's ear. "Go on' Sheppard…keep baiting me. I'd love to strap your pretty wife to this table…naked…spread…that sweet slit of hers all wet and slick. How would you like to watch her beg me for it?"

 

John spit at him and nearly smiled when a gob of slimy blood splattered on the man's cheek. He sneered. "You probably can't even get it up."

 

Something cold and dark flashed in Vaden's eyes. He gripped John's chin between rough fingers and jerked his head around, making him look at him.

 

"I'm going to love making you want to watch while I teach your slut that she never should have made me look like a fool?"

 

**

 

Susan paced.

 

And she paced.

 

And she paced some more.

 

God damn! What were they doing? It had been hours, or at least it seemed like hours, since John had disappeared. She rubbed at her arms and blinked back the tears that stung her eyes.

 

He could be anywhere.

 

He could be-

 

No! She shook her head angrily. She wouldn't think that. She wouldn't let that thought even cross her mind.

 

But still it did.

 

She looked up and watched the others. They were too preoccupied studying the maps that Irina had brought them to notice her. She slid her hand into her pocket.

 

She'd gone through John's pack that morning just to give herself something to do. She'd wanted to touch something of his. Wanted to hold something that belonged to him and then she'd found it wrapped up in one of his shirt's.

 

Her fingers traced over the cold metal of the barrel.

 

John's gun.

 

He'd been teaching her to shoot and even though she wasn't the greatest, she was turning into a fair shot. Maybe she could-

 

It was stupid and she knew it but she had to do something. She felt the need to get to him burning fierce and hot in her belly. John could be dying.

 

John could be…God!

 

Keeping her eyes on Ronan and Teyla, she picked up her pack. She opened it up, pushed the gun inside and slipped back until she was near the doorway to the tunnel leading down to the lower caverns.

 

"Where do you think you're going?"

 

A warm hand fell on her shoulder and she tensed when she heard that voice whispering in her ear. She turned her head and suddenly her world felt like it was falling down around her head.

 

"Nathan…what the hell? How did you get here?"

 

"I've been here." Nathan's lips were set into a grim line. "Be quiet. Do what I tell you if you want to see your husband again and keep your big mouth shut."

 

Nathan pulled her through the doorway and practically dragged her off to the side and down a narrow tunnel. He didn't speak again until they were well away from the warmth of the common living area.

 

"If you want him to live, you'll do what I tell you to do." He took a flashlight out of his pocket and flipped it on, training the light on the uneven ground. His fingers tightened on her elbow.

 

Hope soared in her chest. "John-"

 

"Will be dead if you don't shut up." Nathan's fingers dug into her. They were walking fast and she stumbled trying to keep up with him. "I'm going to say this fast, little sister. Vaden wants you."

 

She tensed.

 

"But I'm not going to let him have you." He sighed and she felt the brush of his breath against her ear. "But I have to use you as bait."

 

She wanted to slap him. How could her own brother do this to her? To them? She started to curse him but the look on his face stopped her. It killed her but she clamped her lips together and let him drag her along.

 

She had to.

 

It might be the only chance that John had.

 

Finally, he stopped. She looked up at him and he gave her the tiniest of smiles. "I still love you, little sister." He started to say something else and then stopped when there was a sound farther down the tunnel and a flare of light. His expression hardened. "Remember what I told you. Keep your mouth shut and I'll get you both out of this."

 

He slipped an arm around her waist and held onto her tight as a shadowy figure came toward them. "Where is he?"

 

"In there." A male voice growled and then he gave a low, rough laugh. "What's left of him anyway."

 

Susan felt her knees get weak. Beside her, Nathan snorted with anger. "I told you not to touch him."

 

"I don't take orders from you." The man spit on the ground. When he looked up, he gave Susan a leering grin, staring at her with eyes the color of mud. "This the woman Vaden wants?"

 

His eyes settled on her breasts and she crossed her arms over her chest. The way he looked at her made her feel dirty. She hated it but she moved just a bit closer to her brother.

 

"Pretty. Long legs…big tits's." He smirked. "With those hips she'll bring a good price."

 

Susan went stiff. Good price? Who the hell was this man? A cold chill ran down her spine.

 

Nathan jerked her back with the man reached out to touch her. "Lay a finger on her and I'll give you a scar to match the one on your ugly face."

 

"I could just take her, Walker."

 

"Touch her and Vaden will have one less bastard to worry about."

 

"I could just kill you and the bitch." The man snarled.

 

"Go find Vaden, Carif." Nathan spit out. "Tell him I brought her. Unless you want to explain to your boss what happened to his prize."

 

Finally, the man grunted and then turned away. Susan held her breath and didn't let it out until the man had shuffled off.

 

"Nathan-"

 

"Be quiet." He wouldn't look at her. "Shut up and come on."

 

"Not until you tell me-"

 

"I'm not going to tell you a damned thing if you don't come on." Nathan trained his light on the ground and jerked her along with him.

 

He shoved her into a small chamber. She started to argue with him and she stumbled when her foot hit something lying on the ground. Her anger fell away when she heard a soft groan. She dropped to her knees, hands reaching out.

 

"John?"

 

Her fingers brushed over something soft. She felt again.

 

Hair.

 

Short hair.

 

Nathan passed his light over the figure lying bruised and huddled on the ground.

 

Soft, dark…spiky hair.

 

"John!" She slipped her hand under his head. He groaned, opened up one swollen eye and looked at her.

 

Nathan touched her shoulder. "Look Susan…we don't have time for a tender reunion scene." He moved around her. He put his hands under John's shoulders and pushed him so that he was sitting up. "We've got to get him out of here before those bastards come back."

 

"John…"

 

He felt her hands on his face and he raised his head and looked at her with his good eye. "Get out of here…"

 

"Shit!" Nathan pushed her back when he heard the sound of a boot scraping over the rock. "Susan, Move!" He grabbed at her, trying to force her behind him as the shadow came flying out of the narrow slit between the rocks.

 

John heard her yell and then there was a sharp, wet sound and something fell against his legs.

 

"Susan?" She didn't answer and his heart nearly stopped. "Susan!"

 

His hands went out, blindly searching for her, trying to gather her into his arms but when he touched the body laying across his legs he knew that it wasn't her.

 

"Susan?" He couldn't see because of the blood in his eyes. "Susan, where are you?"

 

"Damn it, shut him up!" Nathan's voice sounded strained.

 

"Shh…" Her hand touched his face and John let out a sob of relief. Then he felt her move and the weight went off of his legs. She touched him, sliding her hands under his arms and trying to get him on his feet. He clung to her and the smell of the blood on her made him gag. He ran his hands over her, sagging against her when his tortured mind made him realize that it wasn't hers.

 

"Come on, honey. We've got to get out of here." She held onto him, sliding her arm under his and around his back. Nathan was next to him and between them; they practically dragged him out of the small cavern.

 

The pain was horrible but he let them lead him and he didn't even look back to see which one of his torturers was lying dead on the floor.

 

But his elation at being free didn't last for long.

 

Their climb out of the tunnel was a long one and by the time they'd reached the cave entrance, he was sweating and his lungs felt like they were on fire. "Wait…I have…I have to stop."

 

"John-"

 

"Sheppard, we can't stop." Nathan shifted his weight. "Susan, let him go. I'll carry him-"

 

She shifted her pack on her back and tried to get a better grip on John's waist.

 

"Walker! You fucking traitor!"

 

Suddenly he was yanked from her and he heard her terrified scream. Nathan let go of him and he went down on his knees. His head was jerked back and then hands were on him and he felt the arm around his throat, trying to choke him. He smelled something dank and wet and he realized that it was Vaden. Anger roared through him and he drew on every last bit of strength he had. The back of his head connected with the other man's chin and he heard a loud grunt and the sharp snap of the man's front teeth breaking off.

 

But his victory was short lived. He saw a shadow and raised his arm, trying to block the blow but he was too weak and he fell back, scraping his back on the hard ground. Vaden landed on top of him and straddled his chest.

 

Fear gripped him. John kicked up and the man rolled off of him. He heard a scrape of steel against leather and John went cold. His scream split the night air as the Vaden buried his knife nearly hilt deep in his thigh. Then Vaden jerked it out and came at him again.

 

"Son of a bitch! Get off him!"

 

"Susan! No!" Nathan was shouting.

 

John felt his heart stop at the sound of terror in Nathan's voice.

 

His whole body felt paralyzed and he cursed himself for not being to able to see her, to help her. She needed him and he couldn't get to her! Ignoring the pain in his thigh he tried to roll over, tried to get to his feet but he was too weak and Vaden was holding him down. He heard a loud smack and then Vaden was off him.

 

His eyes cleared and for a second he saw Nathan with the bloody limb of a tree in his hands. He watched as Nathan brought it over his shoulder and swung it again at Vaden's head. It connected with a loud crunch and the man went down. Nathan dropped the bloody limb and reached for the gun strapped to his thigh and pulled it loose.

 

Before Vaden could struggle to his feet he pointed it at him. With a deadly calm, he pulled the trigger.

 

The first bullet struck Vaden in the chest and he looked down, surprise on his face. He dropped the blade and it clattered to the ground just before the second shot split the top of his head open. Vaden nearly went to his knees but the bastard didn't go down.

 

Nathan fired again and again. He was pushing him back toward the edge of the river, but still Vaden somehow seemed to be able to stay on his feet. He pulled the trigger again but there were no more bullets. Nathan dropped the gun and dug around in the dirt. Vaden was nearly on him again when his fingers closed around the end of the tree limb.

 

He swung hard, bringing the limb around with such force that it slammed into the man's temple and his head rocked sideways. Nathan kept hitting him and hitting him until he was teetering on the edge of the small cliff. With a grunt, he swung one last time and Vaden slipped, his arms pin wheeling out as he tried to keep his balance.

 

The ground crumbled and Vaden disappeared. John heard the splash of his body hitting the water below and he tried to crawl to the edge. He needed to make sure that the bastard was really dead…that he couldn't come after them anymore.

 

"John!" Susan rushed to his side and gathered him up against her. He clutched at her, burying his face in her neck. He forgot all about Vaden in his need to feel her against him.

 

"Okay...are you okay?" He was gripping her tight.

 

"John…I'm fine, come on. Let me go." Her voice was steady but he could feel the way that she was shaking against him. He heard a rip and realized that she'd torn off a piece of her shirt.

 

"Nathan! Get your ass over here and help me." His mind was fuzzy and he wondered what she was trying to do when he felt her hand on his leg. "I have to bind this…you're…you're bleeding too much."

 

He tried to tell her that he'd do it himself but he was too weak and he just slumped back and let her do it. It seemed like he'd just closed his eyes and she was tugging at him again, trying to get him on his feet when all he wanted to do was lay there and rest.

 

"John, c'mon." She was pulling on him, trying to make him sit up so that she could slip her arm around him. He braced his hand against the wall and with her help managed to pull himself up. "Hold still a minute."

 

He grimaced and tried not to fall over from the pain in his leg. She was fussing over him and he started to tell her to stop when he realized that she was trying to get her parka around his shoulders.

 

He felt himself being eased up. He leaned against her when she slipped her arm around his waist and with Nathan's help, eased him down another narrow tunnel and into a cave that he hadn't noticed before.

 

"Where are we?" He managed to croak out.

 

"My cave." Nathan let out a soft grunt as they helped him settle down on a pallet near the wall. "My little hide out."

 

He went to the corner of the cave, picked up his own pack and carried it back to her. "Use what you need."

 

He stood up and turned to go.

 

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Susan's head snapped around.

 

"To get your pack. You've got some bandages and stuff in there, right? A Medkit?"

 

She nodded and then looked at John. She turned back to Nathan and mouthed, 'hurry up!'

 

When Nathan was gone John brushed a hand over his face. His face hurt and his eyesight was still a little fuzzy but he managed to make out the dying embers of a fire in a pit in the floor. Susan touched him and he weakly grabbed at her hand.

 

John winced and it was all he could do not to cry out.

 

"John, I have to do this." She checked the bandage on his thigh again. Vaden's knife had cut him deep. She tried to keep her teasing light and not let him see how worried she really was. But John wasn't fooled.

 

"How bad is it?" He asked hoarsely.

 

"A few more inches and I'd have a wife instead of a husband." She smiled at him. "How does Joan sound?"

 

He was hurting but John managed a wry grin. "That close, huh? I thought that you'd be the one to cut my balls off before Vaden could get a chance."

 

He stopped when Nathan came back into the cave and dropped something beside her. Nathan knelt down next to her. "You two should be safe in here for awhile."

 

"What?" Susan's eyes blazed with fury. "Where are you going now?" Then her lips turned into a sneer. "Running off again, huh?" She shook her head angrily. "Just get the hell out of here, Nathan."

 

"Shut up." He reached for his pack, slipped something from it and pressed it into her hand. "Take this."

 

"Nathan-"

 

"Just take it." Nathan snapped. "Vaden's men are going to come looking for this place-"

 

He heard a low growl and his gaze settled on Sheppard's bruised and swollen face. John was glaring at him and he sighed. "Listen, I'm not saying that they're going to find you, Sheppard. But I'm not going to leave you without some kind of protection."

 

And then he was gone.

 

"Son of a bitch." She hissed. Fine, she didn't need him. She could take care of John herself. Carefully, she set the gun down were it was close enough for her to reach if she to.

 

Pushing Nathan out of her mind she dug around in his bag of supplies and then her knapsack until she found a couple of small bowls. Taking out one of her bottles of water, she poured some into the two pots she'd set over the fire. While the water heated, she touched her hand to his forehead. "At least you're just warm. I don't think that you've got a fever."

 

Turning back to her bag, she pulled out her kit and set it on the blanket beside her, keeping up a running banter as she pulled out a needle and dropped it into the pot to sterilize. "You look like crap, John and if you pass out on me, I will personally kick your ass."

 

"Don't." He said quietly.

 

"Don't what?"

 

"Don't act like this isn't serious." As badly as he hurt, he tried to push himself up.

 

She turned to look at him. She looked calm but he could see the fear in her eyes.

 

"I know how serious this is but acting like a blubbering fool isn't going to stop that bleeding. Is it?"

 

When he didn't answer she turned back to digging through her pack and Nathan's.

 

He was watching every move she made and she felt the muscles in his leg clench when she reached for a spool of sterile thread from Nathan's kit.

 

"Drink some of this." He took a swallow of water from the bottle she handed him and then tucked it back into the bag.

 

"We'd better save what we have. If Nathan doesn't come back it's going to be a long walk back to the Jumper."

 

"You're not going to go anywhere." She lightly pressed her hand against his chest. "A least for a little while. You've lost a lot of blood-"

 

"I'll be fine." He shifted trying to find a more comfortable spot. "I don't want to wait."

 

"Too bad. You're one big bruise and you can't even stand up without help."

 

His eyes widened slightly but she ignored the look on his face.

 

"And I don't want to take the chance of that leg getting infected either. I'm not gonna be very happy if I have to drag your sorry ass back to the main camp."

 

He shook his head and managed a sly grin. "Yeah, I guess I wouldn't be any use to you if my dick fell off. But you could always get remarried. Woolsey would jump you in a minute."

 

She softened a little. "Sorry, baby." Being careful of his leg, she leaned close and kissed his cut lips very gently. "But I've already got the best and I intend to keep him."

 

He reached for her and she edged closer to him so that he could slide his hands under her jacket. He stroked his thumbs over her nipples and kissed her, teasing and pinching the hard nubs until she moaned.

 

"Beaten up and stabbed and still all you can think about is sex." She growled against his mouth. "Don't start something you can't finish, Sheppard."

 

She pushed his hands away and turned back to check the pots over the fire.

 

"I can handle it." He replied tersely.

 

"What?"

 

"Sewing it up." He grimaced. "I can handle it."

 

"I know that you can." She looked at the wound and tried to keep her hands from shaking. "I just don't...I don't want to hurt you, John."

 

"Looks like..." He bit his lip against another wave of pain. He felt back and closed his eyes. "Just hurry up."

 

Digging into her bag, she found some sterile wipes and cleaned her hands. She didn't like doing this. A few more inches and John would have been dead. She bit her lip and blinked back the sudden tears that stung and clouded her eyes.

 

Damn that son of a bitch! Damn him to hell! Her hands shook a little and she had to force herself to be calm.

 

"Try not to jerk."

 

He barely nodded. When she pressed the edges of the wound together and inserted the needle, his hands clenched, grabbing fistfuls of the blanket and digging in hard. She worked as fast as she dared and when she glanced at him she saw that he had fainted.

 

Quickly, she used some of the antiseptic cream from the kit and by the time she was through, sweat was running down her back. But she didn't dare stop until she'd wrapped another clean bandage around his thigh and cleaned up the mess. Then she went to work cleaning the blood off his face.

 

Steadily she applied some ointment to the cuts. When she was through and her hands were clean again, she picked up the gun and settled down beside him to wait.

 


End file.
